Across the Ocean
by Annilaia
Summary: In one quick and thoughtless act, Bella Swan sends a letter in a bottle across the ocean. It reaches England, where Edward Cullen finds it, and begins their correspondance, one that leads to more than either of them could expect. AH
1. Bella Swan

**Hey there, everybody. Happy New year! I figured, that since I haven't been too kind with getting Lucidity out, I'd post this story. I thought of it last night while I was watching Pirates of the Caribbean with my friend. Also, it actually happened to a friend of mine. Not the falling for Edward part though. Her message did get to France, however.**

**So, I hope you accept my deepest apologies, and my new story, which I am very excited about. I'm on my new laptop, and it has so spell check. so, forgive me, but I try all I can. thanks a bunch!****

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Across the Ocean

Chapter One: Bella Swan

"Bella, dear? How are you feeling." I could hear my best friends' voice calling me softly. I opened my eyes, met with the bright fluorescent lights of the hospital. I let out a sleepy groan before I turned to my side, coming face to face with Alice Brandon, my very best friend.

"Hey, honey," she said happily, resting her head in her arms on top of my mattress. "I was worried about you. But, you know what? The doctor says this is for sure your last stay here! Your system is almost completely healthy. This was just a little fluke cold, it got out of hand, isn't this wonderful?" I smiled to myself and pushed my head farther into the pillow.

"That's great, Ally," I whispered. "I can't wait to finally stay home for once."

Ever since I was young I've had a terrible immune system. Even the smallest colds or flus send me to the hospital. Usually, I can last about a week until I get better. Any longer than that, and I _have_ to be hospitalized. I won't get well. I live just outside the city in a large beach house. It overlooks the ocean perfectly, filling me with wonderful fresh salt air. Since I finished college I'd started my own business, the main floor of my house was a bakery. I made specialty dishes and catered for large parties. Alice was my co-chief, she actually prepared food at the functions with the rest of our crew.

I watched as Rosalie and Jasper Hale, twins, entered the room, smiling and waving at me. They were two of my best friends, and best servers. Jasper and Alice had been dating for a few years now, and I had it on good authority that pretty soon he was going to propse. I couldn't expect anything less. They'd been high school sweethearts and now, at 23, they were more than ready to be together.

"So," I said, stretching out widely. "Which one of you losers is going to bust me from this place?" They all laughed and Rose sat at the foot of my bed.

"It's a good thing you're feeling better, Bells. We've got a party booked for tonight." I grinned.

"Ooh, what is it this time? Happy 50th Anniversary? Bar Mitzvah?" Jasper chuckled and laced his fingers through Alice's.

"It's an office party. Retirement or Resettlement. I have no idea. We just serve the food." I sat up in bed, feeling completely rejuvinated, ready to take on whatever they needed me to do. Just at that moment a doctor walked in.

"Now Bella, I know you're feeling much better, but you still need to take it easy, alright?" I nodded with a wide smile, pulling on my socks. "When you go out on your deck, I want you to stay warm at all times. We should keep you from getting sick, it'll do your system better if you can stay healthier longer, okay?"

"Certainly!" I exclaimed with a laugh, pulling my jacket back on. "I'll talk to you some other day, Dr. Collins. That cake will be ready for Mae's party by tomorrow!" She spared a few more happy words before I was on my way out the door with my friends close at hand. Jasper drove me home while Alice and Rosalie began making preparations for what we'd need for the office party.

Opening up the door to my beach house made me happier than I'd been in quite a while. I rolled up my sleeves, heading straight for the kitchen. Alice was all giggles, dancing around the empty shelves in her dress. We worked for hours, preparing everything to perfection and then I watched as they set off in the catering van towards the party, leaving me to bake my breads and cookies for the next day.

Once I had a few batches finished and in the ovens I took a drink of cool water and wrapped myself in a blanket, sitting out in a chair on my deck. I stared out towards the ocean, my feet propped against the railing and suddenly, I felt so alone. I realised that I was living in just one city out of billions across the world. That, across that ocean, there was an entire continent, filled with people who were living out their lives like they did every day. Here I was, sitting alone while my friends carried out my business. And it was only partially fine with me.

I felt like doing something spontaneous. Something that I didn't need to tell them about. Then, staring at the waves rolling on the beach and the sparkle of the moon on the water, I remembered a day in middle school. A classmate of mine had come in with a letter from France. A letter in reply to her message in a bottle.

I jumped from my seat. It wasn't likely to work, and i had no idea how to get it past the tide, but this was something I wanted to do. On a sheet of paper I wrote down my address, and began my letter. I wrote of my illness, my job, my house. I wrote of my friends, and mostly; I wrote of myself. My ideals, what I thought was going to happen to this letter.

I found an old wine bottle in the cupboard and rolled up my paper, shoving it inside. I corked it tightly before dipping it in wax that had gathered from one of Alice's scented candles. Then, I grabbed the packing tape to seal up the top even better. I chuckled o myself as I stepped down the staircase leading to the beach. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was the biggest and stupidest coincidence to see a couple pulling their boat out towards the water.

"Excuse me?" I called. They froze and turned to me nervously. I was used to people walking down my property to go swimming or boating or whatever. It really didn't matter. "Are you guys going out far?"

"Uh, yeah. We were planning on going out for a few miles, to see the stars," the boy said. "Is that alright?" I smiled as I got closer to them.

"No, that's perfect. I really don't mind," I explained. "Do it whenever you like. Just... can you do me a favour?" He nodded. I passed his girlfriend the bottle. "Once you get out far enough, can you throw this out? I want to see if it even gets anywhere, okay?" They both smiled at me and agreed before wishing me a goodnight. I grinned to myself as I watched them move down the beach.

I turned back to the house and suddenly felt like an idiot. "Ahh, this is either the coolest thing I've done, or the stupidest. Definitely the stupidest. I wish I hadn't given that to them. Got to love spontenaiety. I'm going to stop talking to myself now. Okay." Alice would be laughing if she could hear me talking to myself now. I sighed and walked tiredly up to the bakery, ready to take the breads out, and wondering what was going to happen with my letter.

Of course... my answer would come in months.

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**Eeek! I'm excited. I'll probably post the next chapter a little later, since this wasn't very long, and I have two more already written. I hope you like it! I haven't seen it, and I'm excited to do this. As soon and I thought of it during the movie I thought about the song by The Police, and then the movie about the exact same thing, as well. But, I don't care. My classmate did it in grade seven. Bella's going to do it out of spontenaiety. **

**You should... review, and let me know how you liked it! Okay? Okay. I promise, I won't leave you hanging. For too long, at least.**


	2. Edward Cullen

Hah. This being only a few hours later, I imagine you're all quite happy to see this. Thank you guys for all your support, the claims of originality are wonderful, I'm glad you all like it and think it's new. It reminds me of Message in a Bottle and the Lake house, only without the time travel and death... hah. Anyway. Here's the second one!

There is a poll in my profile about Lucidity, because I'm really pretty torn about it.

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Chapter Two: Edward Cullen

Visiting my father and mother on the coast was always something I looked forward to. Dad was an accomplished doctor, but he liked to use his services in smaller towns. London already had enough big named doctors, and Mum had retired from architecture many years ago. They still looked forward to her blueprints and opinions, but she rarely left the small town by the sea. I brought my best friend Emmett with me this time. It was our first chance for a vacation in months. Emmett and I both worked as editors in a large publishing house and we were both planning big releases from some of our more renowned writers.

Now that that was finished, I thought it was just the right time to pay a visit to my wonderful parents.

They had no idea we were coming, of course. Emmett pulled his jeep up to their cottage and beeped the horn loudly while I jumped out. I opened the door with a "Honey I'm home!" And the next thing I heard were my mothers' screams, running from the kitchen to grab me. Her face was alight with happiness and she jumped up and down more than I had ever seen. Dad was sitting in his armchair reading and grinned widely when he looked up to see me.

"I'm so happy you're here!" Mum yelled. "I've just finished making dinner. You _must_ come in. Oh! Emmett's here too! Carlisle, come say Hello to your son!" Dad clapped his hand on my shoulder and led me to the kitchen where Mum plopped one of my favourite dishes down in front of me. Emmett and I ate what felt like twelve meals before she was satisfied. We sat down to have a drink with Dad when the evening news came on. We talked for hours about our jobs, some of the books we'd had to read and listened to Dad's stories of the hospital.

After a few drinks, and a few more friends had arrived it began to feel too hot and stuffy in the house. "Excuse me," I said to the room as I stood, stretching. "I think I'm going to go have a quick walk, if that's alright." Dad nodded, smiling and watched me leave.

My parents lived just across the street from the beach. You could hear the water when you were trying to sleep at night, and you could smell the sea in the air from out on the highway. It was one of my favourite places to be. Growing up here had made it the best time of my life, and I had so many memories on this beach.

I followed the steps already planted into the sand, watching as they danced away from the waves, twirling in circles. Two different set of feet. Two people spending their evening at the beach in happiness with one another. In my 25 years, I had yet to find a relationship that made my insides squirm with happiness, making me want to spend every single day with someone. Sure, I'd had girlfriends. Sure, I'd had my fair share of wonderful nights, but it wasn't anything worth remembering. It was nothing so amazing and wonderful that I'd spend the rest of my life trying to find someone to match, or exceed.

I had never truly fallen in love.

It seemed such a fickle thing, I thought as I bent down to pick up a bottle from the sand. It's given so easily and can be taken away so quickly. People these days toss it around like hand-me-downs. I wanted something like my parents had, something lasting, something memorable.

It took me until then to realise that the bottle in my hand wasn't just litter in the sand. It was a letter, pieces of paper folded inside, and it was heavily sealed against the ocean's waters. I searched around for anyone nearby. All of the neighbours were elderly couples, or grown up families. The tracks in the sand were half washed away, and it looked as if this bottle had only tumbled onto the beach a little while ago, no less than an hour.

Curious, I took it with me back to the house, where people were piling out in droves to head back home. I waited outside the door for them to leave, smiling politely and wishing them well. Then, I quickly excused myself to bed. My room was small, as it had been growing up. there was enough room for a large desk, my single bed and a small television was set on the desktop. I could hear Emmett snoring through the wall near my bed but took it as a good sign for me to get this work done.

Mum poked her head in after I'd changed out of my clothes, into a loose fitting pair of pants for bed. I'd tucked the bottle into one of the drawers until she went to sleep. Dad followed soon after. For some reason, I wanted this letter to be mine, mine alone. I didn't want to have to share it with my family or friends, get their opinions on it. This could be some stranger from Canada, Cuba, _anywhere._ Once there was quiet echoing through the house I turned on the television to a late night talk show, turning the volume down low.

In the drawer I found the bottle and my grandfather's old pocket knife. I used that to pry through the wax and to pull out the cork. After some fancy finger work I managed to pull out all of the letter, and I placed the bottle back into the drawer. I flattened out the papers and looked over the pages, the same elegant script carrying throughout them all.

March 25th, 2007

Dear... You.

I have no idea who you are, if you're a twelve year old child in South Africa or some Mobster in Italy. In any case, I am going to pour out my heart to you.

My name is Isabella Marie Swan, Bella if you please. I'm 23 years old, I own my own company, and I have never been in love. I also have terrible health.

Since I was small I've been in and out of hospitals. My illness in fact, is a lack of an immune system, although now I've built up enough to stay healthy longer. I'm proud to say that today should be my last day in the hospital for a long time.

After I finished college, my friends and I began a catering business. I do most of the preparation at home, and they finish it at the job, like they should, and serve it. My house is gigantic, but the main level I've converted into a bakery. I back bread and deserts fresh each day, and can do specialty deserts for whatever you want. Name it. Bat mitzvah? Anniversary? Thank-God-the-boss-is-gone party? No problem! Just give me a ring or drop by with whatever you want, I'm your girl.

Anyway. As I've said before, I've never been in love. I don't know about you, but I don't think it's such an easy thing to find. If you've got your special someone, if you've felt real love, then I applaud you. I find it maddeningly hard to find, and I'm beginning to lose hope. I've seen so many people toss love away like it's something they can find anywhere. People dating for weeks will whisper an 'I love you' on their porch at night, but I'm not sure they really realise just how important thing it is.

Now, I've had boyfriends, I've been on lots of dates, had all the experiences, but none of them were love, real love. Love is something that lasts, which clearly, due to my single status, I haven't found. I know this may take months to get to anyone, it may even just get to a few states before it washes ashore, but I guarantee, that by the time you get it and (if you choose to) reply to me, I will still be single.

I'm lonely now. Not just in the sense that I have no one to share my heart with, like I am with you, but the fact that I've been left alone. I moved outside of the city, away from my family, and they visit when they can. My friends make their base here, but they're not here all the time. Whenever they have to go out to a job, I'm here by myself. It is better for my health if I am here, to stay out of trouble, but it is definitely not good for my sanity. My best friends Alice and Jasper have been together since high school. Don't tell anyone, but he's about to propose. Rosalie is a drop dead gorgeous woman, she can have anyone she wants, but similarly hasn't found that spark. At least she's free to leave her house, and mine.

After my whining about love, I'm not sure what else to say. God? Are you religious? If so, I'm sorry but, no offense to you, I think that worship is a little overrated. Sure, I'd like to believe there's someone out there watching over us, but I find it highly unlikely. My biggest fear is that God actually does it exist, he just doesn't care too much for us anymore.

President Bush stinks. I think Santa should stop skipping Africa, and honestly? It's great that America is doing all these charity things for different countries, poverty wise and everything, but don't you think they should do something for the people in their own country too? Perhaps it's the same where you are. I don't know. I'm rambling and filling space, or wastng paper, killing trees. It all depends on how you look at it.

I live in a big beach house. I'm going to find someone who's going sailing to send this out for me, so hopefully I've given you enough to talk to me with. Goodness knows I need some more excitement in my life. Mail aside from electric bills would be nice.

I like music a lot. You can strike up another conversation about that, if need be.

Truly,

Bella, from America.

I was amazed. Below was her address. I was staring open mouthed at this letter, the noise still coming from Emmett's room and the television.

It was late. I knew I should sleep. Tomorrow I'd promised to spend the day with my parents, running errands and visiting, but I was so enthralled, so interested by what this woman had said, that I could not wait to write. I reached into another drawer and pulled out a few sheets of paper and a pen. I began to write, with every intention of mailing it out as soon as we got back to London.

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**Yeah, you should all review again. It makes me a happy camper. Not to mention, I've got the next chapter written, and I'm still writing. heh! **


	3. Mailbox

**Haha. This chapter is for AllHisKisses, since we're bargaining with each other to update, and I can't send her a PM because fanfiction is stupid. And, it's also for saranicole, because she JUST sent me a PM and I couldn't reply to it. But yes, I do love you :D**

**I'm glad people think that I write Edward well. Really, I just write him the way I wish all men were. -sigh- **

**Don't forget, there is a poll up that's going to decide the fate of the sequel to Attraction. I'd like to remind you, that if you choose not to have the sequel (coughmyfavouritechoicecough) then I'd write a detailed summary of what the sequel would have been, and I may put some of the chapters in my oneshot collection. VOTE! **

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Chapter Three: Mailbox

The middle of July.

I was beginning to think that instead of landing in a foreign country, my letter had sunk to the bottom of the ocean. That, or whoever had found it laughed at it straight out and threw it away. I'd done a lot of rambling, most of it I regret, especially the religion part.

"Bella," Alice called from the front door. I was sitting on my deck again, wearing a black tank top and jean shorts, feeling so healthy and, so warm inside the house. The deck was perfect with it's brisk sea breeze. "I picked up your mail on the way in. You've got quite a bit here." I jumped from my seat, knocking over the stool and falling flat on my face before jumping up and running inside to get it from her.

"Thank you so much, you're such a doll!" I said with a grin, noticing a letter with a very different adress. I poked it in the back and I looked through the flyers and bills. Alice let out a deep sigh and I looked at her curiously. "Anything wrong hon?" I asked. She looked at me and pouted.

"Jasper is upset, and he said he wanted to talk to me, so I have to meet him here, before the Johnston Bar Mitzvah tonight." I grinned to myself as I turned to through out the unnecessaries. I knew exactly what Jasper was planning, and why Rosalie was coming in with him at this very moment.

"Alice!" he yelled, stomping into the house. She jumped up, nearly frightened and Rosalie sent me a confused look. I merely winked and turned back to the display. Without warning Jasper grabbed Alice and kissed her furiously. I caught the motion as he slipped a ring on her finger. Rose giggled furiously, and as the couple pulled away they were smiling, until Alice noticed the weight on her finger. Jasper was grinning madly as she nearly screamed before jumping back into his arms, yelling a 'yes!' with all her might. Rosalie and I began dancing and yelling, the standard reaction to watching our two best friends get engaged.

"Congratulations!" I squealed, hugging her tightly.

"You knew!" she accused.

"I did, but it was worth it, to see this." Alice grinned again and squealed in delight. She couldn't be mad at me, not now.

"We have to go to dinner! To celebrate!" Jasper declared, running to call and make reservations for four. Once he finished with the phone I walked them to the door.

"I'll meet you guys there, okay? Seven, right?" With a warning from Alice to wear that one black dress in my back closet I watched them drive off and then ran back to my kitchen to find the letter.

"England," I murmured in wonder. At least I didn't need to buy a translator. I opened the envelope and found a few pages, similar to my own. There was beautiful, yet masculine writing on all the pages. I smiled. Hand written letters were far better than anything typed.

Dear Bella;

My name is Edward Anthony Cullen. I live in London, England, I'm an editor in a well known publishing house. I'm only 24 and single, but I am so happy that you wrote to me.

I found your letter on the beach near my parents' house, an hour away from London, and at first I couldn't believe it. To find a bottle on the beach, I thought it was garbage, left behind after some sort of picnic. But, I got excited when I got home and found your letter. To be honest, I'm keeping you a secret. My friend Emmett was with me at Mum and Dad's when I found this, but I even waited until he was asleep before I read this.

You, have truly and utterly amazed me. In your letter you summed up everything I have ever been feeling. Like you, I have had all the relationship experiences, I know what's to be done, when to do it, but I have yet to fall in love. Like you said, the people I interact with everyday convince themselves that love is what they have and need. Then, when it comes to an end, they are completely heart broken, because they thought it was the real thing.

It wasn't, but they managed to delude themselves into thinking it was so. Emmett can have any girl he wants, but he, like you and Rosalie, and I, hasn't found anyone yet. He's happy that way. But me? I feel like I'm missing something.

So, let's see if we can figure this out, this stupid love thing. You and I seem to be on the right track. Maybe there's a set of rules everyone has that we got gyped, we can make our own list, right? Yeah, I think so. Making a list of requirements as such for the most powerful emotion in existance isn't too too hard.

Don't get me started on God. We're strictly Easter/Christmas Christians, but since moving out on my own I don't even do that much. I suppose I share the same views as you. And, you bring up an excellent and terrifying point with that.

Bush does suck. You poor American. Come to England? Hahaha. Unless you enjoy the rain, it's no good. Ever since Santa didn't give me that bike when I was ten, I've lost all respect for the fellow. Now, instead of leaving him cookies, I leave him an angry letter and his own lump of coal. Although it's not very effective. At my office we raise money each Christmas to do one of those shoeboxes, a good few actually, to send to where ever needs them.

I, unfortunately, do not live in a beach house. I'd love to have a cottage like my parent's some day, but for now, I have a large flat in London, close to my office with tons of traffic and no vegetation until the next park. I'm going to go down to the post office tomorrow and buy some stamps, since I can't seem to find any around, and then, hopefully in a few weeks, you'll be reading this.

Bella, I think you and I could have some interesting conversations. So, on the back is my e-mail address. It'll be far more easier and tolerable if we don't have to wait weeks to hear replies from one another. Although, perhaps a letter every now and then would be nice. I, too, enjoy mail other than bills.

You can wait until the internet to get me going on music. Perhaps you and I have wasted too much paper with our rambling, but love is a touchy subject and needs detailed attention between two strangers. That's the only easy way to speak of it, with someone you don't know.

I look forward to hearing from you soon, whether in pixels or on paper, I'll be waiting.

Sincerely,

Edward, from England.

Seriously? I nearly screamed by the time I finished. This was unbelievable! _England._ My letter had gone all the way to England, and now some young guy with a fabulous job was waiting to hear from me. I ran to the computer and typed his address into my instant messenger, since it was from the same host, and then I opened up a new e-mail to write to him, at the same time hopping into my black dress, and requested per Alice. I rushed back to my closet to grab a pair of high heels when I heard the familiar alert sound from the messenger. Someone had spoken to me. I hopped back to the computer desk and saw one message.

Edward: Hello? 

I couldn't stop the mad grin that was forming on my lips. He was there, right now, somewhere four hours in the future (hah) and he was speaking to me, from across an entire ocean. I sat down, my arms shaking, although I'm not even certain why I was so nervous.

Bella: Hello. I just got your letter. 

I didn't want to overthink this so much. I didn't want to wait for the text to come up that he was writing, so I jumped back out of my chair and took a few deep breaths. I finished pulling on my shoes and straigtened out my dress before taking down my hair and brushing through it. Once I heard the alert I dropped the brush and rushed back to the computer.

Edward: Oh gosh! This is America Bella? I'm so happy you didn't find me completely creepy and used my email! 

I laughed. The guy had a way with words. I was grinning so widely, my cheeks were hurting.

Bella: I'm just happy someone found my letter! I was beginning to wonder what happened to it.  
**Edward: **I was really surprisesd to find it, but you wrote so well, and saved on postage. I couldn't not write back.  
**Bella:** Thank you! This is really exciting. Unfortunately, I have to go. My friends that I wrote about? We're celebrating their engagement soon.  
**Edward: **Ah, finally! I give them my best wishes, I hope you enjoy yourself tonight.  
**Bella: **I will, and thanks. um... if you're going to be on later? I'd really like to talk to you about something worth while.  
**Edward: **I will definietly be on. I haven't got anything to do besides some paperwork, and I'm reading this new book. It hasn't been going too well so far.  
**Bella:** Okay, well, I'll talk to you in a few hours, I suppose, bye!  
**Edward: **Goodbye, Bella. 

I don't really want to admit it, but I was practically screaming with anticipation on the ride to the restaurant. My friends would just take it as happiness for the lovely couple.

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**Hehe. So, I'm going to put up the next chapter in a couple of hours. I've only been awake for an hour. Chapter four is infinitely better than this one. And, I've done a lot of brainstorming, and I'm really really excited for this story. I hope you guys like it!**


	4. Video Call

**This chapter, and all Edward chapters after it are firstly dedicated to Lupus who, not only has the same name as me, but is awesome and lives in London which makes this INFINITELY more easier to write. She gives me pointers, and confirmed the time difference between here and there. hah. This is my favourite chapter so far, but not of the story. Remember to vote on the poll, and leave me happy thoughts!

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Chapter Four: Video Call**

I woke up late, forcing myself out of bed. I had the day off from the office, but not from work. I'd be spending the next few days at home, reading various manuscripts and making notes. Later on, Emmett and I would get together and compare notes, before coming to a final decision. I slumped into my chair, wheeling out towards the computer and opened up my messenger. To be honest, the only reason I was at the computer was in hopes of Bella being online. I wanted to talk to her again. Over the past few months (it was now September) I had talked with her non stop. She was always home, and with my job it was easy to stay home.

I was attracted to her, that was for certain. Although I felt sort of silly to be feeling something like this for someone I couldn't really say I knew, I did. There was something there. With all of the conversations we had, going in depth on the smallest subjects, going off on numerous tangents, we spoke for hours at a time, and then rushed to finish our work. I hadn't been happier than when I was talking with her. She wasn't online when I first signed on, so I pulled on a sweater and slippers before grabbing my coffee mug and the parcel I had to send to her. I rode down the elevator, ignoring the stairs of my neighbours, due to my attire. Slippers and plaid pyjama pants weren't usual attire for a walk to the post office.

I stepped out into the lobby, taking another sip of my coffee as I hurried through the door and down the block to the post office. Inside I waited in a short line before paying for my package to be sent out. I was given a funny look, for it to be sent to America, but they noticed the name I'd written on the address and didn't ask any questions.

Mrs. Edward Cullen, I'd written, after one of our more humorous conversations.

Bella: Hey, you just getting in?  
**Edward:** urgh. Yes. Emmett brought me out to some night club.  
**Bella:** Ooh, meet your one true love yet?  
**Edward: **Haha, of course. There was this one girl with some shoes. I fell on one knee and proclaimed my love for her. We're to be married on the morrow.  
**Bella: **Haha, you're a freak. We're too bitter you and I, in our opinions of love. We're never finding anyone.  
**Edward: **Well then it's settled. There's nothing left for the two of us to be married. we can clearly coexist in harmony, our opinions are very much the same.  
**Bella: **If you insist. I won't try and stop you. Mr. Bella Swan will it be?  
**Edward: **I rather like the sound of Mrs. Edward Cullen. Don't you? 

After that I couldn't stop grinning and everytime we greeted each other it was with a joking 'Darling' or 'Honey'. I thanked the people and with another gulp from my mug, happily walked back to my flat.

Inside I heard the familiar alert noise to my messenger, and I am ashamed to say I ran full tilt to get to the computer. I tripped in an ottoman and fell to the floor in front of my chair. I pushed myself back up and plopped into the seat, happy to face the screen awaiting me.

Bella: Good afternoon, Mr. Cullen.  
**Edward: **Good afternoon Mrs. Cullen!  
**Bella: **Nope, it's still the am here. I just got up, 1o ish.  
**Edward: **You beat me. I just got up and it is nearly two.  
**Bella: **Lazy bum. I'm sad to say that I can't really talk today. I have a big order to fill.  
**Edward: **I know what you mean. I have a few manuscripts to work through.  
**Bella: **It's really sad, though, that I want to talk to you so bad.  
**Edward: **You've got a webcam and microphone right? Let's take this virtual conversation to the next level of our relationship. 

With that, I clicked the video call button. I could hear it waiting to connect, and then she must have accepted. A clear picture came through of a countertop and a few dishes, an oven and a window.

"Bella?" I called. "Why am I looking at a picture of your kitchen?"

I heard a faint voice yelling back. "I told you I just got up, I'm not ready!" Well goodness. When she said that I used my webcam as a mirror to fix my hair and sweater quickly, before I saw her shadow heading back into the room. I was anxious. This was the moment, while completely a spur, that I was going to see this woman I had been infatuated with for months. I would hear her voice and watch her movements. I would finally see her face and -- holy shit. She was gorgeous.

Bella sat in front of the camera, a nervous smile across her face. Her long brown hair was tumbling messily over her shoulders, clad in a grey t-shirt. Her eyes were big, and a dark brown. I knew, from a quick glance in my own corner that I was staring, open mouthed, too. Bella laughed slightly and I broke out of my daze, sitting up straighter we both let goofy smiles spread across our lips.

"Well, that's you and this is me," she said, motioning towards each of us. "Now, if you don't mind, I've got a couple of those specialty cakes of mine to fix." I saluted her with one of my manuscripts and she grimaced at the large piles of paper. I watched her for a moment as she hopped up and headed towards the cupboards, clad in pink plaid pyjama pants and her plain grey t. The two of us worked like that for hours. I listened as she forgot I was there and sang to herself as she mixed up the batter for cookies. Eventually she'd remember and apologise, but I just thought it was cute. Occasionally I'd have to read a part out loud, becoming so immersed in my work that I forgot Bella could be listening. Then, she started laughing.

"Do you have a problem with my reading?" I'd ask, without even looking up. She'd sit down in front of the camera then, so I could see her fully.

"No, I just think your accent is cute," she said, laughingly. That made me blush. With a groan I'd hide behind my papers while she laughed louder.

"Go back and bake your cake," I said. Bella shook her head.

"It's baking now. I suppose I _should_ get that other one ready. And the icing. It's going to take a lot of work. I'll be sure to keep you entertained with my singing." I gave her a nod, grinned, and we both went back to work. It took her another hour to finish her second cake and bake it, and I'd finished half of my notes by then. We'd barely said a word, and I wouldn't admit it to anyone, but I could have finished my notes in that hour, I just spent most of it staring at her.

After another few hours had passed, I had finished all of my work, Bella had layered her two cakes and was nearly finished decorating one. I smiled, watching her. I was truly impressed by this woman. To become so completely and utterly infatuated with someone I had never seen an barely knew was completely out of character for me. But she was so... _amazing_. The way she spoke (wrote, technically) about everyday things, her opinions and views, it was so interesting and worthwhile to talk to her.

The added bonus, was that she was beautiful. Her voice, her face, her body... it was a wonderful gift, really, to be able to communicate with her. And, I had _her_ to thank. I looked down at my very belated birthday gift and smiled.

She had been disappointed to learn that she'd missed my birthday, because of how long it took the bottle to arrive, but she sent me a gift anyway, in late august. I picked up the letter, hand written, snail mailed. She had written down a passage from one of her favourite books, and had left me a small note. Inside as well, was a picture of the most beautiful wedding cake I had ever seen. It was three layers, covered in white icing and drowned in the most intricate patterns of iced flowers and leaves. It blew my mind away. On the back were a few simple words that brightened my mood everytime I saw them. "The Cullen-Swan Wedding Cake." I stood up with the picture and walked out of my study to place it on the fridge with a magnet. it was the only thing there, aside from my grocery list and a picture of Emmett and I looking distressed in a mound of work.

I grabbed a bottle of water and ruffled up my hair again. I was please with how comfortable these pyjama's were. I probably wouldn't change all day.

As I sat down to my computer chair the phone rang. I picked it up and leaned back, glancing at the screen.

"Hello Emmett, I have missed you in the seven and a half hours we've been apart." I saw Bella's mouth quirk up in a grin.

"You're in an awfully good mood, and awake! I'm surprised, after last night," he said. I rolled my eyes. Bella caught it and laughed. "Hey now, you've got a lady there with you?! When'd you snag her? Bet you've been with her all night."

I looked up at Bella and she was staring at me from on her stool (the people who ordered that cake are insane. It's maybe five levels, all on those little pillars.), waiting for what I'd say next. I smiled at her. "Yeah Emmett, amazing for me to have a woman here, isn't it. I've been with her all night, and all day." Bella's jaw dropped as she hopped to the floor.

"Edward, you sly dog! I can't believe it," Emmett said, laughing. I could hear sounds from the street; he was on his way over. "I've finished my notes, and I'm assuming you have too, so I'm going to shoo that lady out so we can get this work done and have the rest of the weekend off, alright?"

"Okay mate, see you soon," I said, and promptly hung up.

"Edward!" Bella hissed. "I can't believe you said that to him. Now what are you going to do, say you were up all 'night and day' with a girl you met on the internet?"

"I didn't meet you on the internet, dear. You are my ocean goddess, remember?" I chuckled quietly as she turned a bright red and fidgeted uncomfortably. Without a word she spun around, hiking up the legs to her pyjama pants and stepped back onto her stool, taking her bag of icing to put the finishing touched on the wedding cake. I looked at the cupboard and found a three layered birthday cake, covered in chocolate icing with turquoise spots and swirls covering it.

"Bella, your work is amazing," I said softly. She smiled and put down the bag before stepping down and walking to join me.

"Thank you very much dear," she said, sitting perfectly in the camera's view for me. I'm pretty sure she saw the adoring look I had, staring at my screen. "Now, I have a more important question."

"Oh, and that would be?" I replied. Bella grinned and bit her lip sightly. Dear God that nearly drove me mad. I took in a deep breath and sat up straighter because of it.

"Where are we going on our honeymoon?" she asked innocently. I grinned widely, possibly bigger than I had since speaking with her.

"I was thinking a little flat in nice rainy London town. For... oh, I don't know... a few months? Years? What about you." She was smiling beautifully now too.

"As enticing as that offer is, all the travel would definitely make me sick, and I would probably die in London. Why not a little spot on the beach, near a big city for, oh... I don't know... a few months, years?" I smiled warmlyto her.

"Give me a couple months to clear everything up with work and my family, I'll be right there," I said, my tone serious. Oh, if only. Bella smiled to me, sweetly, and we stared at each other for a moment. Then, we both jumped when we heard the elevator door to my flat slide open. I held a finger to my lips and she nodded, watching intently. I minimized her window as Emmett came in, turning to greet him.

"Hello honey," I said in a mocking voice. He glared at me and merely stomped into my bedroom. I could hear him rustling my bed clothes around. "He's checking the sheets," I whispered to Bella who let out a short snort of laughter. Emmett came back out, checking the couch cushions and the kitchen counter tops. I was sure Bella could see everything.

"What are you looking for there?" I asked, referring to the places he was studying carefully.

"Suspicious activity," he said angrily. I turned slowly and gave the camera on my laptop a look before going back to Emmett. Bella was probably beet red.

"There are no signs of sexual activity on your bed, the couch or the countertop, no signs of anyone but yourself coming or going, no signs of any meals being made, aside from coffee, and i know you're an addict. You're the romantic type, you _always _make them breakfast, in bed or otherwise. All of these clues lead me to believe that you had no one here." Emmett was good, but I still had the advantage on him.

"You forgot to check the bathroom," I said simply, in a bored tone, and he took off running. I opened up Bella's window and saw her with her hands in her face, a bright red. "Sorry," I whispered. She looked up at me, a combination of embarrassment and amusement on her face.

"Will you make me breakfast in bed on our honeymoon?" She asked softly. I grinned.

"Everyday. Whether you're in bed, on the couch, on the countertop or in the bathtub. I'll make you breakfast everyday." Bella blushed again before giving me a small wave. I waved back and discreetly (I hope) pressed the print screen button, to save the picture of her later.

"I'll talk to you later, or tomorrow," she said. I nodded.

"Later on, then," I said and closed down the window, and my messenger.

I was smiling widely when Emmett came back in, glaring at me menacingly. He threw down his messenger back and moved to the kitchen quickly to make some coffee.

"I don't know why you look so content, Ed. You, unlike _some_ people I know didn't get any last night. Why are you so happy?" I leaned back in my chair, my hands behind my head as I looked at my best friend, thinking about the one secret I'd ever kept from him.

Softly, I said; "I met someone."

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**EEK! Wait till you find out what her birthday gift is! I'm excitedd!!**


	5. List of Expectations for Approval

**Thank you all for your lovely reviews! I'm pretty sure this is the fastest I've ever gotten this many reviews, faster even than for Hey There Bella! It really maks me smile. I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's my favourite one so far (considering it's all I have written) but there are some things coming that are way more better than this. So, onward!

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Chapter Five: List of Expectations for Approval

I woke up, early for once at around seven o'clock. In the sheets nearby me was my laptop, the cord tangled in my leg. I shook it out and opened it, turning it on. I don't know why I was trying, but I liked to be online, just incase Edward was ever on. To my surprise, and delight, when I opened messenger, I found that he was my _only_ contact online. I smiled and opened a conversation window with him, and right when I was about to press the video call button, I heard a phone ringing, and saw the request to accept his invitation. He'd beaten me to it.

"Good morning," he said groggily, once we were connected.

"Morning," I said in a happy sigh. I saw my brown hair in a mess over my white pillows, the plain white comforter held close to my face. I was lying on my stomach, my head to the side as I faced him. Edward's position matched my own, only his sheets were black, his blanket quilted. "I didn't expect you to be up so early," I said.

He laughed lazily into his pillow. " I went to bed early with my cold. I had to get up now to finish emailing some clients."

"In any case, I'm glad you're awake. I hope you feel better soon, though." Edward smiled and nodded sleepily. The man was absolutely adorable. I was attracted to him, that was for sure. I'd catch myself thinking about him as the day passed, and whenever I wasn't talking with him or out with my friends, I felt so alone. I needed him, really, to help me feel whole and wanted.

He was, quite simply, amazing. Everything he did impressed me. His actions, his words, the conversations we had about certain things and the way he expressed his ideas to me made me want to swoon. I did swoon a couple of times. The added bonus to his amazing charm and personality, were his looks. His voice, oh sweet God. With that accent, I melted into a puddle everytime I saw him. Now, talking with him while he was so tired, his voice was husky and soft, it just made him sound even sexier. His face, his body, they were all great perks to such a wonderful guy. He was, hands down, the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen. And, I had myself to thank for introducing myself to him.

Edward stretched out farther, hugging his pillow and let out a small moan inside his heavy breath. I shivered. He was driving me wild. This crush I had just got worse by the day. Suddenly his beautiful lips curled into a smug grin ( Did I mention he has the most breath taking smile? it's just a little bit crooked but, God, it makes my heart stop) (HE'S SO FREAKING CUTE.).

"This is perfect," he said a little more coherently. "I've been wondering how it was possible to get you into bed with me." I laughed loudly, burying my face in my pillow and glancing casually at the window. It was a beautiful autumn day. I probably shouldn't spend it online like a social leper.

"I suppose I get breakfast now, do I?" I asked in, hopefully, an alluring tone. Edward's face grew serene and he stared at the screen.

"Absolutely," he murmured. I blushe, I could tell from the heat on my cheeks, and then my doorbell rang. We both frowned at being interrupted but when it rang again, ten times in a row, quick and angrily, I knew who it was.

"That's Alice," I said. "I should get it, they need to prepare for a wedding we're catering tonight." Edward nodded and I jumped out of bed to get the door.

I was right in my guess, but wrong in my reasoning as to why she was here. "Hello, Bella," she said, her tone a little frightening. Then, she held up and parcel in her hand. "Or, should I say, Mrs. Edward Cullen?!" I blushed wildly, frig that boy was amazing, and snatched the package from her hands. She stepped inside, eyeing me carefully.

"What's this all about, Bella?" She hissed. I cringed away and walked slowly to my bedroom, Alice was close behind.

"Um, Edward is a guy I met, and me being his wife is a joke we have. Do you want to meet him?" I asked innocently, hoping she wouldn't bite my head off. Alice's face softened slightly but she nodded.

"I need to make sure he's good enough for you." She said, stomping into my bedroom.

"Edward," I called. "There's someone here to meet you." Alice and I jumped onto my bed and put our heads together before aiming the laptop at us. I saw our faces fill up the box in the corner, and Edward sat up a little straighter, looking even more adorable as he rubbed his eyes to wake up. Alice shot me a look and smiled goofily before rearranging her mask of 'Don't-touch-my-friend-you-undeserving-pig.'

"Edward, this is Alice, my very best friend. Alice, this is Edward, my 'husband'," I said, making the quotation marks with my fingers. Edward smiled beautifully and chuckled. Alice pursed her lips as she pulled a notpad out of her purse and a pen and began to write.

I noticed the header she gave the notpad and blushed, giving Edward a worried look. His exression was worried, but he smiled at me all the same. 'Edward's qualifications for dating Bella' said the pad.

"Alice," I hissed. "We are _not_ dating!" Although, I wished that was what we were doing. Alice raised an eyebrow at me as if to challenge her authority before she showed Edward the paper. He blushed. My goodness, he turned as red as Alice's shirt. When she seemed satisfied at his reaction she brought the pad back and began writing a few more things.

"Congratulations on the engagement, Alice," he said suddenly, a bright, genuine smile across his face. I smiled back at him, it was nice he remembered. Alice looked up slowly, her face was covered with awe.

"Thank you," she said gently, smiling widely at him. I saw her make a check mark and glanced over to see what it was. Next to 'Charm' she'd given a gigantic mark. Above it was 'Aesthetic Appeal' Which she promptly checked off. "He's cute," she murmured in my ear. I laughed which only made Edward look even more confused. He was sitting up in bed now wearing a navy sweater and had his arms crossed. His nose was red from being so sick over the past few days.

"Woo, Edward, you've got points for charm and good looks already!" I said, giving him a thumbs up. He grinned, looking pleased with himself.

"All right, bring it on. What else have I got to do?" Alice checked off another one, down towards the bottom." It was marked as optional and I nearly died from giggling when I read it. 'Sexy Accent'.

"You've got the optional sexy accent," I told him. He laughed warmly and Alice gave him a smug but pleased look before turning back to the pad. She was being professional and quiet during this whole process, it must have been important.

"Next, Edward. I need to know if you have a sense of style," Alice said formally. "Please, show us your closet and/or underwear drawer." I gasped loudly and smacked her. Edward blushed again but picked up the laptop and carried it towards his dark wooden closet doors. Alice made a little sound as she checked off one for 'Interior Design'. I glared at her.

"What does that have to do with date-ability?" I hissed.

Alice smiled; "He can't be a total slob, and his design tells me whether or not he's boring. So there. Now shush." We turned out attention back to the screen to find Edward had set the computer down on a chair or table and was opening his closet, revealing quite a number of suits and buttoned up shirts. They all looked very nice on the hanger, and the thought of him dressed in one made me begin to drool. He showed us some of his ties which made me squeal, especially since he could tie them himself. There were no silly patterns, only solid coloured, decent ties.

"Unfortunately, I don't feel up to showing you my underwear," he said kindly, settling himself back in bed.

"Fine then. What sort of pyjama's do you wear," Alice said, rolling her eyes as if him not showing his underpants was terrible and rude. Edward pulled his leg out to show his familiar blue plaid pants.

"And I wear a t-shirt with it most nights," he told her.

"Aww, you guys match," Alice cooed, looking at my own pink plaid pants. I poked her and she brought her attention back to Edward. "Occupation?"

"I'm an editor," he said simply. Alice stared.

"Like... for books? In a publishing house?" He grinned at her and nodded.

"A very big publishing house, we're opening a branch somewhere in the States soon, I believe," he said. I watched as Alice checked 'Stable Job' and 'Money$$$/€€€'.

"Alice, what does _that_ have to do with date-ability?" I asked, irritated. Why should his money matter.

"He has to be able to take you out to nice places, okay? And he has to buy you nice gifts. So there." I rolled my eyes and fell back into the pillows. This girl was too much. "Edward do you have any special talents?" I looked up at him.

"Um, yeah I've played the piano since I was about five," he said. Be still my heart. Alice looked down at me again and I smiled, batting my eyelashes. He was probably too good to be true for her. There was one last field that needed checking before he got her approval which was 'Social Life'.

"Edward," she began, deathly serious. "Due to the fact that you guys met online--"

"We didn't meet online," we both said at the same time. Alice looked surprised.

"Oh? Then how _did_ you meet?" she asked in interest. I blushed a furious red and glanced at Edward who smiled at me reassuringly.

"Back in March, when you guys were out for a job, I wrote a message in a bottle and got it thrown out to sea," I said quietly. Alice's hand collided with her mouth and she stared at me wide eyed.

"I found it on a beach near my parents' house in July and wrote back to her, and we've been talking ever since." Alice looked at me, tears in her eyes. She pouted and looked so sweet and innocent.

"Bella that is the cutest story ever!" she yelled. She threw her arms around me and sobbed into my shoulder. "You met your gorgeous husband by sending a message in a bottle!" I rubbed her back and stuttered to find something to say. "What a story to tell your kids." Alice pulled back and wiped at her eyes. She tossed the note over her head, hitting my lamp in the process and smiled widely at Edward.

"Because of that, and the fact that you're decent enough to write back, I so approve. Good job Mr. Cullen," she said, offereing him a high five.

"Alice, we're not going to run out and find a chapel," I hissed. She rolled her eyes. I was watching Edward for a moment, he was smiling brightly when he looked over his laptop and his face fell. Alice and I were both drawn in to what was happening. Edward let out a small yelp of fright as something launched itself onto the bed and yelled out his name.

"Emmett get off me!" He yelled from underneath his friend. Alice and I burst out laughing, as the large brunette looked at the screen curiously.

"What are you doing here, Ed?" he asked softly, staring at us. Edward managed to right himself up after pushing Emmett off and straightened up his computer.

"Emmett, this is the girl I met," he said finally, softly. I snorted back a laugh, remembering what had happened weeks ago. Emmett's eyes widened as he realised what we were thinking about. Then, he grinned devilishly at Edward.

"You sneak, you were having sex were her on this all that time?" Alice laughed loudly but Edward and I were appalled.

"NO!" we both yelled, and Edward smacked him. Emmett chuckled loudly at our reaction and Edward glared at him angrily.

"Anyway, it's nice to meet you," he said finally. "My name's Emmett, I'm Edward's only friend." Edward rolled his eyes and I giggled happily at him.

"Nice to meet you too, Emmett. My name's Bella, and Alice here is one of my good friends." Alice gave a small wave before pulling out the parcel from underneath her.

"Open your gift, Bella," Edward said happily. I gave him a look as I took the parcel from Alice. I told him to not give me anything and he did not heed my warnings. I pulled away the brown paper and opened the box carefully. After pulling away the newspaper placed to keep the object from moving, I gasped. _A book._

"Edward, this is like the best thing ever! Thank you so much!" I exclaimed, turning it over to read the summary. I heard him laugh before he told me to check the acknowledgments. My eyes skimmed over the list of names until I found one that popped out of the page; Edward Cullen.

"You worked on this book too! That's so awesome!" I wanted to start reading it right away, but I knew I should probably pay attention to my friends.

"What's this?" Alice asked softly, picking up a few pieces of paper at the bottom of the box. We both gasped. _Tickets. _Freaking PLANE tickets!

I read the details briefly, two tickets to London, in three weeks, two return tickets for almost a month later.

Alice and I both screamed, holding onto the papers. "Edward!" I yelled. "You can't be serious! That's absolutely ridiculous, spending that much money on me. I can't accept this."

"No, you can and you will," Edward and Alice said at the same time, bossily too, I might add. "Going to Europe will be a once in a lifetime deal for you Bella," he explained. "I think you should take this chance, come see the sights, and meet your very best friend."

"Hey," Alice butted in. "_I'm_ her very best friend, thank you." Edward chuckled. "Come on, Bella," she continued ernestly. "Think of everything there is to do in London. There's two tickets! You could take me! Think of all the marvelous shopping we could do!" She glanced back at the screen to Edward and Emmett, who was busily chatting away about his latest car project. "On second thought, bring Rose. She should probably meet that big guy. They'd hit it off."

"Telling the future again, are we?" I asked, laughing. Alice nodded. "I don't know. I mean, this'd be something big. And I have the shop to think about, London might not be good for my health too, what if I'm sick the whole time I'm there?"

"I'll take care of you," Edward offered. "My Dad's a doctor, we can visit him and Mum and he can check up on you. London could be spectacular for your health, you never know." I smiled warmly at him.

"Jasper and I can take care of the catering Bella. We just have to make sure you don't take anymore specialty orders, don't book any more in, and Jazz and I will only take a few jobs. Once a week or so. Small ones."

They presented really good arguments, and if I wanted to be honest with myself, I _really_ wanted to meet Edward. I flipped the tickets around in my hand, a smile pulling up the corners of my lips.

"Hey guys!" Rosalie exclaimed, crashing on to the bed next to me. I yelped and she merely threw her hair over her shoulder and laughed. Alice pointed to Emmett on the screen. I could almost laugh at the expression Rose was giving. Edward smiled as he watched Rosalie stare at his friend, who was _still_ talking car parts.

"Who is that..." Rosalie mumbled.

"That's Bella's husband Edward and his best friend Emmett," Alice chirped. Rosalie gave me a look to say 'way to get married to a cute British guy and not invite me to get any party favours' before she gave me a 'way to introduce me to a really cute British guy' look.

"We're not married," I said, exasperated.

"Bella sent him message in a bottle," Alice said in her cheesy soppy tone. I rolled my eyes again and waited for them to stop aww-ing.

"Hi Emmett," Rosalie called. Edward turned to Emmett who stopped talking and looked up quickly. His eyes widened at Rosalie and he looked like he was gasping for air.

"Hello," he said shyly. Rose smiled at him and I'm pretty sure I saw her blush a little.

"Guess what Rose!" I exclaimed in a mockingly cheery tone. "You're coming with me to England!" I flicked the tickets in front of her eyes. It was amazing how much she freaked out. Her eyes popped out of her head and she squealed loudly, burying her head in my pillow. Edward and Emmett grinned at each other, seeming very proud at what they had accomplished.

"I hate to say it," I called over Rosalie's freak out. "But they're here for a reason. We have to get ready for a wedding this afternoon, so I'll try and talk to you later, Edward." He looked sad for a moment, even stuck out his lips at me, but finally nodded and waved. Rosalie jumped up, grinning foolishly and waved at Emmett before running out of my room, screaming some more.

"You go ahead, Bella, I'll shut her down. You still need to get dressed," Alice offered. I accepted and gave Edward another 'bye' before hopping out of bed.

By the time eleven o'clock rolled around I finally made it back home. Jasper dropped me, and the catering van off before hopping into his own car and heading home to Alice. I stumbled into the house tiredly, kicking off my shoes somewhere near the second oven. I hobbled past the shelves and made it to the spiraling staircase, climbing it to get up to my bathroom. Inside, I changed into my pyjama's and dropped the work clothes into the bathtub before I made it to the bedroom, plopping into my big white bed, left unmade from the morning.

I opened up messenger on my laptop, my heart falling at bit at seeing he wasn't online. Of course, it was around two in the morning there. He'd be fast asleep. So, with a heavy sigh I placed the laptop onto the floor and pulled all of my blankets over myself, settling in for a long, dreamless night.

Then my cell phone rang.

I jumped about three feet and reached out to snatch it. I buried it between my ear and the pillow and asked a sleepy "Hello?"

"Good night, Miss Swan," a very lovely, musical, sexy-english-accented voice said. I wanted to squeal but I was too tired.

"How did you get my number," I asked, trying to sound angry, even though it was hidden by my delight and fatigue.

"Alice told me. I just called from across the Atlantic to wish you sweet dreams and a good night," Edward said sweetly. I could hear the sleep in his voice, too. He must have woken up just to make this call.

"You're ridiculous, you know that? I would never call you at two in the morning."

"Yeah, but that would be six here," he chuckled. I rolled my eyes.

"Your phone bill will be enormous," I said finally. He made a noise, like shrugging it off.

"I can handle it."

"Good night, Edward. Sweet dreams," I said, hoping he could hear the little bit of passion in my slurred voice.

"Same to you, dear," he said through a yawn.

And that night, my dreams were simply the best dreams on the face of the earth. If I didn't want to wake up and face the real Edward Cullen, I would have stayed in them forever.

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**So, because I decided to try and be nice and have this up for when you all wake up (2:26 am here, I told saranicole I'd update yesterday) I had to finish this chapter first, since I posted Chapter Four without this one being finished. Now, Because I did this quickly, I have to write all of chapter 6, so forgive me if its way late tomorrow night or Saturday night before you get it. THAT'S why I like having a few pages written. Word.**


	6. Identification Signs

**Well, fuck me guys. I messed up the timezones as a few people have pointed out. I'm an idiot and mistook Nova Scotia (Canada) as Massachusetts. I'm a genious. So, I'll go back and change the times a bit. I'm thinking that 'the city' is Boston. But Bella would probably live out on the cape. **

**Also, my apologies for not updating last week. I know I was doing good there for a little while, but school started up and it hates me. So I was taking my time with this. I'm not doing anything tonight, and the next chapter is a little bit more exciting, so I'll probably try to write a bit, mkay? Alright then.**

**This chapter is for saranicole, because we've both been fretting over flight schedules. And _The Sweet Far Thing,_ which I've now read 8 chapters of. aha. **

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**Chapter Six: Indentification Signs**

I walked through the office with the biggest smile on my face the whole morning. Emmett knew what I was thinking, so whenever he saw me, he'd break out into a smile as well. My Boss and co-workers were watching me curiously. I whistled in my office, swung in and out of meetings in the best of moods, and whenever anyone asked, Emmett replied; "He's met someone."

When nine thirty rolled around I was flipping through the notes Emmett and I had compiled on a memoir, the last ones we needed to turn in before our month long vacation. I glanced at the clock and began smiling so wide it was starting to hurt my cheeks. I clipped all the notes together and hurried down the hallway to my Boss's office. I rapped on the door lightly before stepping inside.

"Sir? Here's the Jackson project like you asked," I said, passing him over the sheets. He smiled up at me, pleased with my work.

"I've spoken with Emmett already, so it looks like you two are all ready for your vacation." I thanked him again and turned towards the door. "This must be some girl if you're this eager to get out of here," he said in a soft chuckle.

I turned back to him and sincerely said; "Oh, she definitely is." I walked towards the elevator, searching for Emmett in the doors I passed. Just as I saw him turning into an office, _Mike_ of all the slimy and dependant people in the world decided to bump in to me.

"Ed!" he exclaimed. "How's it going, mate? You're not on your way home are you?"

"It's _Edward_, Mike, and yeah I'm on my way out," I said, my displeasure clear in my tone. Just as I was about to step around him, Mike placed his hands on my chest, looking straight up into my face with what he thought were reasoning eyes.

"Come on, Edward. We're friends right?" He then pushed a folder onto my chest. "Which, is why you can make the notes for this script for me, alright? I'm going to be pretty busy next week. It's due in on Saturday, okay? I'll see you later then." With that, he ran off towards the staircase, leaving me standing there speechless.

"He trick you into doing some work for him?" Emmett asked, coming up to stand next to me.

"Yeah," I said. "Only this time, he's not going to have a job, and I'm getting a raise." Emmett snickered to himself as we headed to the elevator, I furiously pushed the main level button, my good mood gone in an instant.

"Where are the girls right now?" Emmett asked. I thought back to the itinerary Bella had sent to me.

"Paris, I think. They got there quarter to eight this morning, and leave pretty soon. It'll only take them something like twenty minutes to get here." With a nod Emmett hopped into the front seat of my Volvo, and I threw the script into the glove compartment, wanting to forget about that little detail of my life for a few hours, or days at the most.

During the drive to the airport, Emmett's good mood just put me in a better one of my own. I wondered if I was dressed okay for meeting Bella in person for the very first time. I was wearing black jeans and a white button up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to my elbows. My hair, despite my best efforts was still in a bit of a mess. Emmett was wearing a casual dark suit, black dress shirt and all. He was smiling widely, staring out the window.

We pulled up to Heathrow, Emmett taking the script from the glove compartment with a pen and walking inside ahead of me, scribbling something onto it as he moved. I followed behind, trying to keep pace with him. The girls had just landed, my watch told me, and I knew the gate, not Emmett. If he got lost it was his own fault. I grabbed onto his sleeve and made a turn coming up near their gates. Once I stopped and stood in front of it, waiting, Emmett finally put away the pen and held the script folder in front of him.

"Rosalie Hale, Isabella Swan," I said aloud, reading from what he had written."You've made a card, to let them know we're us? You do realise that Bella and I can recognize each other on sight, right?"

Emmett shrugged. "This makes a humorous first impression," he said simply. I rolled my eyes and turned to the group of people filing in. It took a few moments for the group of people to pass, but then; clear as day was Bella and her friend, smiling beautifully and laughing. They both looked up, turning towards us and I saw her eyes light up, her lips widening into a big smile as she stared me in the eyes. They noticed Emmett's sign and laughed, but then she pulled her bag off her shoulder and ran to me. I was grinning from ear to ear, laughing to myself as I moved forward, holding out my arms to catch her as she launched herself into my chest.

"Ah, Edward!" she exclaimed in my neck. "It's so great to finally meet you!" She kissed my cheek and leaned back, studying my face. Rosalie and Emmett gave each other a short embrace before looking each other over appreciatively. Emmett had been calling Rosalie since the first day they met, so they'd gotten to know each other a bit. Bella and I were just beaming at each other like a couple of complete idiots. An old woman and her daughter passed us by and they stared at the four of us, smiling happily.

"What lovely couples," the woman said tiredly. "They must be so happy to be together again." Alright. I blushed as red as a tomato, and the smile on my face disappeared, I was beyond embarrassed. I turned to Bella who was a same shade of red, looking up at me nervously from under her hair. I smiled at her and took her bags, leading her outside to the car.

"Do you guys need the time to change your watches?" I asked them, opening the trunk.

"No," Rosalie answered. "Bella walked up to some guy and said... I don't know what she said." Bella rolled her eyes.

"Excusé moi, monsieur, I said. Quel heure et-il? And he told me the time. It's no big deal." I was impressed.

"Tu parle français? Le langue d'amour," I wiggled my eyebrows at her and she giggled. I laughed with her and opened her door, watching her climb in.

"What did you pack?" Emmett asked jokingly, tossing Rosalie's bags into the trunk. "It weighs more than my sister..." Rosalie rolled her eyes but was smiling.

"I'm here for a month, Emmett, don't you think I'd take a variety of things, or do you not want me to look good?"Emmett grinned.

"I think you look great," he said simply, holding open the back door for her." She blushed, looked a little taken aback at what he'd said, and without a word hopped into the car. The girls sat in the backseat together, probably feeling a bit more comfortable if they were with each other the whole time. They were staring out their respective windows as I drove through the streets, Emmett and I chatting happily.

"What are we going to do for the day?" I asked.

"Did you guys sleep much on the plane?" Emmett asked, turning around to the backseat.

"No, we went to sleep around 9 our time. It's supposed to be 3 in the morning," Bella said sleepily.

"Well, we can go back to my place, and you guys can sleep for a few more hours. Emmett and I can clean up or something, and then we can figure out what to do later on, sound good?" I asked, glancing in the rear view mirror. Bella looked into my eyes, smiling and nodded.

I pulled into my parking spot and the girls stepped out, waiting for the trunk to pop. We gave them curious looks and took their bags ourselves, leading them inside and into the elevator. I slid the door shut and pressed the fourth floor button. Bella caught me staring at her, making me blush, I slid open the elevator once we'd reached my loft and carried their bags inside to the small guest room, where the fold out couch was waiting. We left their suitcases there, but I brought them in to my room, where the bed was larger and a considerable amount easier on their backs.

"That's your room there, but for your nap today you can sleep here, my bed. It'll be better for you," I explained. The girls thanked me and nodded, changing into their pyjama's as they hurried back to my room to bed.

Bella stopped to throw her arms around me again. "This is just so awesome, I can't believe I'm here, and you're here, and it's just... ugh! Great!" I smiled at her widely, I was feeling exactly the same.

"I like your pyjama's" I said, motioning towards the pink plaid I was used to. She blushed but thanked me and went back into the room, closing the blinds and the door before climbing into bed.

"I need groceries," I told Emmett who was hyperventilating in the living room.

"I can't believe they're actually here," he said excitedly, gasping for air. I chuckled but tried to stay calm. I wouldn't admit that I was freaking out myself, too. Instead, I went to the refridgerator and fished through the food, making a list of what I needed. Emmett decided to come with me, and after a few minutes of arguing what exactly to do for the rest of the day, he got the keys and his coat ready, saying he'd meet me down at the car. I opened the door to my room carefully, sneaking inside.

Bella was lying on the side I usually sleep in, it made me smile to see her there (which, to be honest, makes me sound like a perverted stalker, but I can't help it, I've said I'm attracted to her,) her hair was curling around the pillows around her head, and one leg was kicked outside of the blanket, her bare feet and leg exposed. I took one deep, calming breath and crept towards her. I placed my head down close to hers, staring at the beautiful arc of her brow and her thick lashes.

"Bella?" I whispered. With a slight grunt, meaning yes, she moved her head up, angling her lips closer to mine. "Emmett and I are going to run out for a second, to get some food. We'll lock the doors so you guys are okay to keep sleeping, alright?" She smiled beautifully and nodded, letting out a weary sigh. I smiled at her, though she couldn't see and stood up, leaving the room before I fell into a daydream.

Emmett and I returned an hour later and they were still fast asleep. I decided to make them so brunch, so with my best friend yelling over my shoulder I cooked up some sausage strips and scrambled eggs, while he watched the toaster intensely. I placed everything on two trays and made my way down the shallow hall into my room. Bella and Rose rolled over groggily to look at us, and their faces brightened considerably when they saw the warm food. They propped themselves up against the headboard and we each laid and tray onto their laps.

"Thank you," they cooed softly, staring at the food. We told them to lay the trays on the floor when they were done and get back to their naps afterwards. On my way out the door I turned to take one last look at her before shutting the door. I couldn't help the stupid grin on my face at the sight of her beautiful brown hair curling around that gorgeous face. I sighed, shutting the door. I was in way too deep.

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**Teehee. The boys freak out about as much as we do about them. Isn't that awesome? I'm making earrings out of buttons. I think Bella is going to do that too. The next chapter is splendid. I love it. And, that french? S'all me. That's 9 years of french there, for you. Asking the time. Oh yes. I shall survive on a connecting flight to Paris some day. Heh. I'm going to go clean a bit, and then work on the next chapter, perhaps it will be up later.**

**In other news, Thank you guys EVERSOMUCH for all the reviews you gave the last chapter. It got 95 reviews, which is the most I've EVER gotten for a chapter. I think it's mainly because it was left up so long though, aha. That's why I don't ask for reviews, you guys are nice enough to me. I'm thinking this story may be the first to get me to 700 or more, maybe even 1000? It's doing better in a ratio than Attraction was, amazingly enough. To forget to vote in the poll, and I'll talk to you later! ahaha.**


	7. Wedding Gown

**Hey, Sorry for the delay. I had a complete Bella moment yesterday, to the extreme. I fell down the stairs and I've hurt myself pretty badly. I spily my supper and glass of milk all over the place too. It stinks, because before I fell down the stairs I stabbed myself in the foot with the back of my earrings, and then an hour later I'm falling down the stairs. :( I have a bump and bruise on my back, and my butt hurts the most. S'quite painful. My elbows got smacked too, so its hard to do ANYTHING. **

**This chapter is gigantic, and I'm sorry if I repeated anything in it. I wasn't feeling very well yesterday when I did it, and I was sick when I wrote the first half. As for the french in it, I tried my hardest, but please, it doesn't really matter if something isn't correct, because I know some of it is bound to be wrong. Such as, the switch between tu et vous. I used a translator and my bescherelle (i did my homework!) So I hope everthing is alright. But, as I was taught, Vous is used when talking to someone you don't really know, it's just polite. So that's why Edward and Bella did it, thought they sometimes switched to tu. Ugh. I'm in so much pain.**

**THERE'S A TRANSLATION OF THE FRENCH AT THE BOTTOM! The next chapter is my faaavourite!**

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**Chapter Seven: Wedding Gown**

Ahh England, how I love you so. You have provided me not only with the greatest sights I've ever seen, but the most beautiful men with sexy accents. Yes, you truly are one of the coolest contries in the world. God bless you. Rose and I had been in the cloudy island for a few weeks now. We'd gone to a couple of museums and seen all the cute houses around town we could imagine. We went to a movie after Rose and I got over our jet lag (the first night there we were up super early and decided to write notes in all of edward's mirrors and windows in a white board marker. He was shocked when he looked in the bathroom and he had a monocle and curly moustache, hah!)

This morning, Edward and Emmett were taking us shopping on Carnaby Street, which apparantly would send us into cardiac arrest with the amount of shopping we could do.

And it nearly did. I'm very happy Alice wasn't there. Although, Rose and I did make a fair dent in the stock of most of the stores.

"You know," Rose said once as we walked past a coffee shop, our arms ladened with bags and Edward and Emmett carrying a couple behind us as well. "We don't even have a gift for Alice or Jasper. What should we get them?"

"Blender?" I asked, causing us to erupt into giggles. Edward and Emmett chatted behind us happily and I turned my head to catch him watching me. He smiled when our eyes met and my stomach fluttered as I turned back to Rose. Edward's _really _cute, okay? And he's like, the most charming man I've ever met before in my entire life. He's sweet, caring, funny, but still amazingly mature and responsible. He's everything I've ever thought him to be, although he's taller than I imagined. Which is a good thing.

Rose grabbed my hand, stopping me in my tracks. I rearranged my hat on my head and looked at what she was staring at. The store was a bridal boutique. She turned to me grinning. "Why don't we buy her wedding dress? And Jazz's tux, we could even find our own dresses here! That would take care of all the gifts and everything! I know all of their sizes, it's no big deal." I turned to the boys.

"Do you guys mind coming in here with us?" I asked them gently, hoping that being dragged into a shop filled with wedding dresses wouldn't freak them out. They both shrugged and even passed Rosalie their cell phones when she demanded them.

I stood close to the boys, staring at the yards of frilly lace and satin hanging around us. It was a little intimidating, to be honest. Rosalie even had the nerve to call Alice on Emmett's cell phone, telling her what our plans for the gift were, and then she took a few pictures with Edward's and sent them to Jasper's phone (In Alice's possession) while the shop keepers weren't watching. I could hear her squealing on the phone and told Rose exactly which dress she wanted and left the rest up to us. The boys were to help us figure out Jasper's tux, and we could choose whichever dresses we wanted, as long as they were within a certain range to match. Rose passed back the phones, a smile plastered across her pretty face.

"Alice is pretty excited," she said happily. "I'm really glad we're doing this for her, too." I nodded, admiring the dress on her arm before fishing through the bridesmaids gowns.

"Now we've just got to get things figured out for ourselves," I said in a mumble. Edward stepped up next to me and smiled beautifully before beginning to search through the dresses. My heart stopped for a moment before going into overdrive. I stared up at him for a few moments before pulling in my breath and started looking myself. Rosalie and Emmett were a little farther down and she had a couple posibilities on her arm already.

"Bella!" she called. "There's a lady on her way to help. I'm thinking you two should pretend to be a couple, really romantic and sweet, and get us a discount, alright?" What? I stared at her blankly and Edward tensed next to me. Emmett was snickering at us, trying to hide his smile.

"Why us?" I asked in a hushed tone, seeing the woman looking for us. "You two have actually been on dates, I can't lie!"

Rose shrugged, completely non-chalant and smiled. "Speak french," was her reply. I stood up straight, my cheeks beet red and my face blank with fright.

"Hello!" the woman, who's name tag read Brigitte said cheerily, eyeing us all kindly. "Do you folks need any help?" she asked. I broke out of my daze for a moment. If we could pull this off, it might actually be sort of fun. I smiled widely and grabbed Edward's hand, smiling at him warmly before turning back to Brigitte.

"Ah, oui!" I exclaimed. "Vous pouvez nous aider à trouver quelques robes?" Haha... Brigitte froze for a moment, looking at me carefully.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" she asked. I bet she swore I was speaking english a while ago. I opened my mouth to say something when Edward cut me off.

"Ah, mon amour, est-ce que tu as besoin de regarder des robes maintenant?" He asked. I grinned and pulled him into a hug, wrapping my arms tightly around his chest.

"Oui, parce que tu m'aimes, et que tu as aussi besoin de vêtements." Edward chuckled and held me tightly, placing a gentle kiss on the top of my head. The other three looked at us curiously before turning to face each other, looking for a little bit of english.

"Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?" I asked him with a small grin. Rosalie snorted. She understood that much, as I'm sure the rest of them did. Edward grinned and laughed, wrapping his arm around my waist and walking towards the girl, pointing out various dresses to us.

"Naturellement, comme chaque nuit," me dit-il. Woops! He said to me, I meant. "Est il necessaire de parler en phrases qui faites de sens?" I giggled and poked him.

"Pas vraiment," I grinned. "Je suis un pamplemousse qui danse tout le matin et tout l'après-midi!" Edward laughed again and we skipped to catch up with the others who were talking excitedly, ignoring us.

"Où danserez-vous après ?" he asked.

"Je ne sais pas. Peut-être... chez vous?"

"Chez moi?"

"Chez nous!"

"Chez toi."

"Chez il?"

"Chez elle!"

"Chez nous."

"D'accord."

I laughed again and ran back up to Rosalie who had a couple of dresses. She walked in to the dressing room and pulled on one, a black lacy number that looked fine on her, but we both agreed couldn't look to good on me. Then, she went in with a fluffy, ruffly, touille drowned red bit, and it couldn't look good on anyone. After a few more, She finally emerged in a flowing, royal blue silk dress with a scalloped neckline and sleeves that fell just off the shoulder. Emmett's breath caught, and Rose winked at me. Blue was a colour that actually suited me, and it looked gorgeous with her blonde hair and complexion. She changed into her clothes, with her dress and a second (in my sizes) ready. Brigitte took the bridesmaids dresses and Alice's gown over to the counter, still blindly believing it was all for my wedding.

"Now, we need a tux for Jazz..." Rosalie said quietly, looking through the various vests and coat styles available.

"Perhaps, the groom would like to try one on?" Brigitte asked, eyeing Edward like candy. Of course she would. Jeez, take a gander at this guy on my arm. I looked at her curious and turned to Edward, my face blank, almost innocent. He looked down at me and smiled warmly.

"Tu n'es pas un bonbon comme elle le pense," I said seriously and quietly. Edward's face screwed up before he snorted with laughter and broke down. I started smiling too, watching him hold his stomach laughing.

"C'est pour des choses comme cela que je t'aime," he said quietly, then kissed my forehead. I blushed like madly. So you know, he just said its for things like that that he loves me. Edward stepped into the dressing room, taking the tux that Brigitte and Rosalie had picked out. Rose stepped up next to me.

"It's Jasper's size, and I'm fairly certain that he and Edward are the same. I can tell these things. Good job on your french, too." She grinned at me wickedly.

"Merci beaucoup, mon ami. Mais, maintenant j'ai besoin de rigoler avec quelque chevaux." Rosalie nodded widely, smiling.

"That's awesome! I'm excited for your wedding too, dear!" I heard Edward laughing in the small room. It was moments later that he stepped out, wearing a black tuxedo with coattails, a silver and charcoal vest underneath with a pitch black tie neatly tucked inside.

"My God..." Rosalie murmured, taking him in. My mouth was hanging open.

"Mon Dieu..." I mumbled. Edward looked up at me from underneath his lashes and gave me his beautifully crooked smile that I had gotten so used to in the past few days.

"That looks wonderful!" Brigitte said excitedly, rushing forward to pull on his collar and pockets, making sure everything was in it's proper place. I glared at her before stepping forward to wrap my arms around him.

"Ne touche pas," I said quietly, looking at her angrily. Edward chuckled again and rubbed my arm. Brigitte looked at me curiously. Shouldn't this girl have at least _some_ knowledge of the french language?

"Je vais me changer, d'accord?" I nodded and Edward moved back inside, changing quickly and passing us the tuxedo. We all walked up front, Edward and I swinging our arms inbetween us. I decided to play up the love bit, maybe if Brigitte was taken with Edward she'd give us a discount anyway.

"Oh, Edward, je ne peux plus attendre pour être marié!" He smiled and laughed next to me.

"Moi, non plus! Me marier à toi est comme un cadeau d'un Dieu!" I giggled again then, falling into his chest before standing upright at the counter. I pulled out my card to pay for the gown and tux, as Rosalie was paying for our dresses, but Edward swatted my hand away. As Brigitte packaged the gifts into their proper boxes I shot Edward a few looks. He could _not_ pay for this for me. I would not let him. He glared at me, jokingly, but telling me all the same to let it go.

"Je te deteste," I said quietly and turned away. Edward shook with laughter next to me.

"Je sais, mais ce n'est pas vrai, tu m'adores." He scrunched up his face and leaned in to wiggle his nose against mine. Rose and Emmett started to laugh, but Brigitte actually aww'd at us.

"I think I'm going to cut this back a bit. Fifty percent discount?" She turned to us, speaking slowly and loudly. "MOINS CHERE?" Haha. She knows those words. It's useful when shopping in France. Less expensive, oui oui.

"Vraiment?" I exclaimed. "Oh, fantastique! Merci, merci beaucoup!" Brigitte smiled widely at me and took Edward's card, knocking off at least a hundred bucks.

We walked out of there very happing campers. After spending probably half of my life savings, I announced that I needed to get back to Edward's place before I did anymore damage to my bank account.

"And, I am paying you back. There is no way you've spent that much money on my friends' wedding. That's a big dent from your credit." Edward shrugged and ignored me, swinging my bags in his arms as we went to find his car.

"The same goes for you, Em," Rosalie hissed. Emmett had also nobly stepped up to the plate and bought the bridesmaids dressing, which I still think is insane for them to do. Lunatics, these brits. Somehow, we fit all of the bags into Edward's trunk and then climbed inside ourselves.

"Rosalie my sweet," Emmett said, taking her hand in his. "Would you like to go on a date with me again tonight?" He asked. Rosalie squealed and giggled, jumping up and down and hugging him. They were pretty cute. They'd gone out on a couple of dates already, and Rosalie was completely taken with him. I'm blaming the accent. These guys have been manipulating us all over the place with those things.

"Edward, when are you going to ask Bella on a date?" Rosalie demanded. I turned a bright red. Edward's face changed with confusion.

"Date? Rosalie, my dear, Bella and I have been married for ages! When you're married as long as we've been, you don't date anymore, silly." I laughed and he just looked perfectly serious. Rosalie rolled her eyes and leaned in to Emmett's shoulder. Edward dropped the two of them off at Emmett's flat before he drove us home.

"So what _are_ we going to do this evening?" I asked him when he pulled into the parking ground. Edward shrugged, moving around to open my door for me.

"Well, my wife, I figured we'd do our normal, boring, married life routine. Cook dinner and improvise," he explained. I just smiled and shook my head, picking up the boxes with Alice and Jasper's gifts and following him inside to the elevator.

Edward dropped my new purchases into my room, before laying his coat and keys on the kitchen island. I went to join him, holding the two boxes in my arms. "I'll think I'll mail these today, have you got a box I can use?" He smiled and nodded, moving to a room off the kitchen he came back with a box just big enough for the two to fit in. We cushioned it with plastic bags and newspapers before taping it shut and I scribbled Alice's address on top, along with my temporary one, writing it as Bella Cullen, just to make her angry.

"Do you want to mail it now? the post is just a few blocks down." I looked up at him and nodded. I was paying for this though. This was gigantic, it was sure to be expensive. Edward carried the box for me downstairs and chatted happily with me about work as we walked, reaching the post office quickly and only paying a small fortune to send the package. Then, we walked briskly back to Edward's place. Emmett called while we were mailing the gift to let us know that they were heading out, and not to wait up.

"Uh oh," I said as Edward led me into a supermarket on the way. "Rose isn't coming home tonight," I said softly. Edward chuckled, but agreed with me.

"Emmett's very physical with his relationships," he said matter of factly. "I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to keep her for the next few weeks." I nodded.

"Rose is the same way. I'm pretty sure I'll be sleeping alone for a while." I grabbed a cart and leaned into it, pushing it behind Edward who lead me along, dropping a wide variety of things into it. He bought enough food to last us the rest of my trip. I was just thankful that the apartment was close by. We could load our arms up with things, and it was still a quick walk.

"Shall we make dinner together tonight my sweet?" Edward said with a small smirk. I rolled my eyes.

"Of course, it's what I do, with my hubby." Edward kicked open the door and dropped the groceries in the kitchen floor immediately. I got to work putting them away and taking out a few things, preparing some dishes to make a lasagna. Edward told me he was popping out for a second, down the street to pick us up a movie for our lonely night. That was fine with me. It gave me the chance to work without being distracted by his gorgeous, sexy, charming self. I had everything layered and in the pan, waiting for the oven to finish preheating when Edward came back, _several_ movies in his hands. He came over to the island and leaned close to me. I could smell his shampoo in his hair, and his particular scent, one that smelt so much better to me than anything else.

"Um, dinner will be ready in a little bit, it's just got to cook now," I said, bending over to put it in the oven. Edward moved to his desk on the wall between the kitchen and the living room.

"That's alright," he said. "I've got to do these notes for an idiot at work, so I can wait." I watched as he sat down and pulled out a neat stack of papers, clipped together with those gold coloured fasteners. I turned on the timer and sat myself on the couch, waiting to hear it go off.

Of course, when it did finally go off, Edward and I were so far into what we were doing that we both jumped. I knocked the remote from the couch and fell to the floor, and Edward struck his papers, sending them flying. Edward jumped up and looked over the couch at me, where I was lying in the fetal position, the remote digging into my back.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly, running around to help me up. I gasped from the sharp pain of the plastic in my back and he rubbed it quickly, trying to draw out the pain. I was hunched over, and he was trying to hold me up.

"I'm fine," I stammered through dry sobs. Edward smiled at me, but his eyes had that 'Oh, you,' quality to them. I (somehow) managed to pull myself from his grasp and hurried into the kitchen, pulling our supper from the oven and got started on tossing a salad together. Edward was picking up his pages, crumpling them slightly in his fingers. Edward set his notes on his desk, leaving them to organize until later. He came into the kitchen, clearing off the bar at the kitchen island and set it for two. I served up our lasagna, and left the bowl of salad in the middle. Then, each with a wine glass filled with water, we sat down and ate. Edward even lit a candle in front of us.

"This is what we have to look forward to when we're married," Edward said glumly, taking a bite of his food. I watched him curiously, waiting to see his reaction. "We sit here alone and quiet, and eat without smart conversation's we'd have had if we'd dated."

"Well, good thing we got that over with," I said, still watching him, mindlessly shoveling the food in my mouth. Edward looked down to his fork suddenly and gave a satisfied 'Hmph.' He turned to me, one eyebrow arched.

"I thought you baked cakes, not lasagna," he said slyly. I giggled.

"I'm a woman of many talents, watch out, I can feed us as long as we need." Edward grinned and turned back to his plate. This was the first meal I'd cooked for him. Since we'd gotten here, we'd either go out to one of _many_ restaurants in London, or we'd go to Emmett's and they'd order pizza, Emmett and Edward would cook for us, or we'd been out so late the night before we skipped dinner. I was glad I could do this for him right now. I wanted to proce that I could cook for my husband --er, boyfriend --ER, acquaintance. Gosh.

Okay, I'll be completely honest right now. Since we've been here, I've developed mad, strong feelings for Edward. I had them before, I was drawn to him, there was no doubt, he was just everything that mental list of the perfect fellow in my head told me I wanted. Then, when I met him, not only was he charming and sweet, he was so _perfect!_ He was the perfect height, his hair fell the right way, how he looked walking when I followed him (hah. Yeah, you know what I was talking about), but altogether, Edward was everything I could have asked for and more. He was everything I wanted, and I know it's insane to feel like this for someone I met from a letter in a bottle, but it's not totally insane. These things work out, there was no doubt in my mind that he wasn't a crazy stalkerish killer. He was _normal_. And good, and _so_ attractive. So, now I'll admit, that with Rosalie and Emmett officially dating, I considered the correspondance between Edward and I dating, and now, he was mine. I thought we were a young couple, just starting out, and it was this unconcious thing I did.

Edward and Bella. It just _fit._ So, then I'd remind myself that it couldn't, because we shouldn't. But I wanted to. So badly. It took every bit of self control I had to keep myself from launching myself at him some days.

When we finished, Edward and I washed the dishes together. He was also a follower of the 'leave them in the dish rack to dry and put them away late' principal, like myself. So, when we couldn't decide who would do the dishes, we both stuck our hands in the water and started washing. I jumped sometimes, whenever we'd grab each others' hands, but we were laughing a lot, so I thought it was covered up. My stomach was doing huge flip flops when we touched, even at just the thought of his close proximity to me.

Since it was getting late we both went to sit on the couch and he turned on a movie. Edward left his notes behind, saying he'd finish them up in bed and the two of us settled down to watch the movie.

Which, was interesting, but I was far too tired to care very much at that point. I made a move. I took the blanket over our legs and leaned into his chest, using it as my pillow. I covered us with the blanket and prepared for a short nap until the movie was over. I was thrilled to hear his heart racing, but he simply rubbed my arm softly with his thumb. I didn't fall asleep, as planned. My eyes were half closed, but I was too aware of Edward to go to sleep. So, when the movie was over, I stood up and stretched, letting out a yawn.

"I think I'm going to go to bed now," I told him softly, smiling sweetly. Edward nodded, matching his smile with my own.

"I am as well, I think." He stood and turned off the television, the lamps. I stood nearby him as we slowly made our way down the hallway, he stopped to pick up his notes and the script and then we moved again, separating into our own rooms.

A half an hour later and I was still wide awake. I'd been laying in bed, tossing and turning. It was completely unlike me. I was one to turn out the lights and go straight to sleep. And, I'm pretty sure that the main reason I couldn't do it was because there was no one there with me. The sounds from the street, while not terrifying, were new to me. I was used to the ocean. And, when Rosalie was here, I could fall asleep quickly listening to her speak.

I'll be bold, I told myself. Pick up your pillow, and go in there. Tell him you can't sleep. Taking deep breaths I quietly stood up and moved to my door. This was not the best night I could have chosen to do this. My usual pyjama's had gotten dirty during breakfast, so they were in the wash. I was wearing a pair of small shorts and a grey tank top that was just a little too large. I needed to be careful. My hair fell around my shoulders, hiding them as I turned the corner and faced his half open door.

Edward was sitting up in his bed, wearing a very nice fitting blue t-shirt. His legs were covered with the quilts and his laptop was open in his lap, the notes and script next to him on the mattress. His face was pulled into a look of concentration, his hair messed on the top of his head and he was wearing a small pair of rectangular glasses.

Cute!

I pushed open the door slowly. It creaked, protesting against the hinges and Edward looked up, surprised to see me.

"Sorry," I said in a whisper. "But I really can't sleep." He smiled at me warmly and patted the empty spot next to him. My lips curled involuntarily into a grin and I moved towards him, ready to jump in.

"I'm still going to be up for a few minutes. If you want, you can get something to read, it might tire you some." He pointed to his book shelves which covered an entire wall in his room, the space being shared with a massive collection of CD's and books. I bit my lip to keep my smile at bay and skipped over to it, scanning the spines for a title that may be familiar or compelling.

I could feel Edward's eyes on me the whole time. I'm sure this was unexpected for him, just as it was for me. I pulled out a recent favourite of mine, one I'd been gushing about to anyone who would listen. I was happily smiling as I walked back around Edward's bed and climbed in, pulling his fragrant sheets up around me. I propped myself up the same as him against the headboard and opened the book.

The two of us would make quite a pair. An hour later Edward yawned and turned off his laptop, just as I'd made it halfway through the novel and my eyes started to droop. I marked the book with a piece of paper he'd tossed aside and laid it on the bedside table, turning off my light and falling down under the covers. Edward moaned tiredly and placed his laptop on the floor. He cleaned up his notes, placing them in order and putting a paperclip on them, then dropped them on the floor. Shortly after there was a snap from his glasses and the light went out.

My heart picked up it's pace in a second. Oh, God, why did I decide to get in his bed? I was shaking, from being so cold, but I told myself to behave and stay away from him. I'd just have to make due with how nicely his bedclothes smelt and how nice his presence next to me felt. We both sighed, then chuckled. I turned towards him, just as he did to me. The moonlight (well, streetlights) through the window struck his features perfectly, lighting him up just for me to see. I could see his hooded eyelids, the arch of his nose and the curve of his soft lips. I sighed, and my body shuddered from the cold.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently.

"I'm freezing," I said quietly with a small laugh. My legs rubbed together to try and persuade some warmth from them. Then, I felt him. His legs twined with mine and he pulled me in to his chest, wrapping his arms around me. My own arms moved around his strong chest and I took in a deep breath, the smell of him unbelievable.

"Is this better?" His voice was husky, lower. I didn't trust myself to speak. My heart was out of control. I nodded and rested my head against him, just as he laid his head in my hair and I fell peacefully asleep.

In the morning I could feel the small cold in my chest. I was breathing through my mouth, nearly drooling all over Edward's pillow, and I coughed loudly and uncontrollably. My nose was hot and thick. I shouldn't have been so much of a tourist. I heard a creaking from the door and I looked up to see Edward walking in, a tray in his hands and a wide smile across his face.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said gently. I sat up and he placed the tray on my lap. There were eggs, bacon, toast, and even fresh orange juice. I smiled widely and sniffed. "I told you I'd always make you breakfast in bed, right?"

"Thank you, Edward," I said. I could hear the congestion in my voice. His eyebrows furrowed as he watched me.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, sitting down next to me and placing a hand on my forehead. I watched his eyes as he seriously looked over my features. My eyes were drawn to his lips, I started to stare. Eventually I broke out of my daze and began to eat.

"I'm not that sick, Edward. Trust me. I can tell when my body is over the edge," I explained. "This feels like a normal cold, it shouldn't last very long." He smiled sweetly to me and moved to find some clothes from his closet while I ate.

It was a few hours later when Edward and I were walking out to his car, bundled up against the brisk October wind. He looked simply stunning in his dark shirt and quit jacket, a scarf tight around his neck and his hair blowing messily in the wind. He was taking me into work with him, to drop off the project he'd been working on. As usual I stared at the buildings passing by as we drove, Edward was singing along to the radio.

"Hey, Edward! I didn't think you'd be here on your vacation!" A girl said once we'd gotten out of the elevator.

"Hey Katie. Trust me, it's not up to me," he grinned. I smiled at her but followed close behind Edward. She was wearing a white sweater with a black verst overtop and a black pencil skirt with very nice pumps. Her hair was dark brown and waved over her shoulder, half of it tied at the base of her neck. She smiled at me, wide and happily.

"Bella, this is Katie McCarthy, Emmett's little sister," Edward explained, motioning to her as we passed.

"Hello," I said, shaking her hand. "It's nice to meet you. Your brother is _quite_ the character." She laughed.

"Don't worry, I'm not like him," she assured me. "I've meet your friend, Rosalie? Emmett is quite taken with her." I grinned.

"Rosalie's the same for him, I'm glad she's met your brother."Katie grinned and Edward waited for me.

"I've been wondering when I was going to meet you," she said. "Edward just about went crazy his last day here, all he did for a week before was talk about you." I blushed a bright red and Edward chuckled, grabbing ono my coatsleeve and pulling me with him. We moved down a hallway towards a sophisticated office, covered in brushed metal and blurred glass. Edward knocked lightly on the door before pushing it open and stepping inside.

"Mr. Hann? I've got the Goodman script for you," Edward said, walking confidently into the office. I followed behind him nervously.

"The Goodman script? Didn't we assign that to Michael?" Edward nodded, a grim expression across his face. I sniffled and stayed safely behind him.

"He approached me on my last day and left me no choice but to do it," Edward explained. His boss's brow furrowed and he flicked through the pages of notes.

"I'll be having a word with Michael about this, I can assure you, Edward. You'll receive your dues, don't worry." Edward smiled briliantly and turned to me, holding out his arm for me to move into. "I imagine this is the girl you were so anxious to get to on that last day?" he asked. I could feel the heat in my cheeks but merely smiled at him.

"Yes, sir. This is Bella," he said gently, staring at my face. I stepped forward and shook hands with his boss.

"Nice to meet you, sir," I said, hoping the nerves weren't evident in my tone. Mr. Hann grinned.

"I can see quite clearly why Edward was so eager to get to you," he murmured. I saw a flush in Edward's cheeks and I smiled to myself.

"It's been quite a stay in London," I assured him. He wished us well on the rest of my visit before we turned and left, Edward's hand on the small of my back. There were people lined in their doorways in the hallway, calling out salutations to Edward, but he whispered that they were just there to see me.

"Hey Ed!" an obnoxious voice called. Katie was standing near their lunchroom, pouring a coffee for herself and she looked up, slightly surprised to see us, or maybe it was because of the voice that was making it's way towards us.

"Mike," Edward hissed, trying to sound civilised. "I passed in your script," he said scathingly.

Mike grinned, but eyed me all over, like a piece of meat. Edward narrowed his eyes and pulled me closer. I blushed. "Thanks for that Ed. Who's this you've got here? Introduce us, hey?" With the glare Edward was sending him I was surprised he wasn't peeing his pants right there in the lobby.

"Mike, this is Bella, my wife. We're just leaving now, so Goodbye." Mike's eyes widened as did my own before Edward turned me around and moved us briskly to the elevator. I heard Katie laughing and calling a Goodbye to us.

"Wife?!" I asked, slightly hysterical as we ran to his car.

"Yeah, we've always said we're married, I figured it was the easiest way to get him off my back. Besides, you don't want to be introduced as single to Mike." Edward held open my door for me, then hurried over to his own seat, starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot.

"But now your entire office thinks we _are_ married!" I exclaimed. Edward grinned and shrugged. He turned to me, and the fact that I was glaring at him only made him smile even wider.

For the rest of the day Edward and I sat at home and he did everything he knew to make me feel better. By the time the sun set I hardly felt like I'd been sick at all. We'd gotten a call from Rose earlier, telling us she was staying out with Emmett and wouldn't be home that night either. It was getting late, the entire city was lit up when Edward came over to me, sitting on the couch, fully dressed and ready to go out.

"Put your coat on," he said sweetly. "I know exactly what we can do, just the two of us." My lips were grinning on their own. I couldn't help it if this man made my body involuntarily ecstatic.

We drove for a few minutes across the town, to the Embankment. Once we got out we walked for a while, Edward held my hand and put it in his coat pocket to keep it warm. My cheeks were flushed, but not only from the cold. I could see a gigantic white ferris wheel looming towards us. It stole my breath away.

"Are you afraid of heights?" Edward asked, the humor evident in his voice. I turned to him and rolled my eyes.

"What is that?" I asked breathlessly.

"That, my sweet, is the London Eye. Would you like to go for a ride?" My eyes shot to his face, wide with excitement.

"Are you serious?! We can _ride_ that thing?!" He merely chuckled at me and took my hand, stepping up to the man in charge. Within a few moments we were inside with a few other people, making our ascent towards the top. I cannot describe to you in words, the beauty of London from that high up. There were lights _everywhere_. I could see the clock tower, the buildings of parliament, _everything_. The entire city was lit up for me to see, and once I reach the top, it simply took my breath away. I gasped, and let it out in a sigh, my eyes wandering over everything I could see.

Edward stepped closer to me and wrapped his arm around me, my heart went into overtime.

"Do you like my city?" he asked. I nodded and smiled, placing my head against his chest.

"This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, Edward. Thank you." He grinned and searched my face for a moment. I couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking, but it did my heart good to see him looking at me like that, up here on the top of the world.

* * *

Brigitte is and Katie, is my friend Katie! ahaha. Thanks to Lauralanth for reviewing with edited french!

FRENCH!

Bella: Ah, yes! You can help us find some dresses?  
Edward: Oh, my love. Do we need to look for dresses now?  
Bella: Yes, because you love me, and you need clothes too.  
Bella: Do you want to sleep with me tonight?  
Edward: Of course, like every night. Is it necessary to speak in sentences that make sense?  
Bella: Not really. I am a grapefruit who dances all morning and afternoon!  
Edward: Where will you dance now?  
Bella: I don't know, maybe... At your house?  
Edward: At my house?  
Bella: At our house.  
Edward: At your house.  
Bella: At his house?  
Edward: At her house.  
Bella: At _our _house  
Edward: Okay.  
Bella: You're not a piece of candy like she thinks.  
Edward: It is for things like that that I love you.  
Bella (To Rosalie): Thanks a lot my friend! But, now I have to laugh with some horses.  
Bella(about Edward): My God...  
Bella (To Brigitte): Don't touch.  
Edward: I'm going to go change, okay?  
Bella: Oh Edward! I can't wait to be married!  
Edward: Me neither! Marriage to you is like a gift from God.  
Bella: I hate you.  
Edward: I know, but it's not true. You adore me.  
Brigitte: LESS EXPENSIVE???  
Bella: Really? Oh, fantastic! Thank you, Thank you so much!

hah. yep, that's it. As I've said, the next chapter is my favourite, by far. For those of you who I've given sneak peeks to, you know what I'm talking about. Tee! This last chapter reached 101 reviews! Sallyl, I LOVED your french review. That made me smile so much. And, the funny thing is that whenever you guys mentioned something about the 700 - 1000 reviews, fanfiction cuts off things in pm's and reviews after 3 of the same digit/letter, so you guys were saying 700-10 aha.


	8. Cottage on a Beach

**Sorry for the little delay. My back and bum are a lot better though!**

**This chapter is dedicated firstly to cookybabe who was kind enough to update when I begged for it while feeling like complete poo. Secondly, it's for vjgm who, despite the begging efforts of myself and saranicole is too sick to update, so this should (hopefully) make you feel better. It's definitely NOT dedicated to saranicole, because she apparantly can't remember my penname.**

**But, the entire story is dedicated to her. So, she should be glad. Anyway. Go read my favourite chapter! **

**I made a few adjustments to my Twilight cast! A ridiculously cute Edward is there. And, there are pictures of all the cakes that have thus far been in the story!**

**The songs mentioned in this chapter are:  
Anyone Else But You - The Moldy Peaches  
All You Need Is Love - The Beatles  
Storm - Lifehouse  
Storm is the last, prettiest, most important one. Go listen to it, because it's garrgus.****

* * *

Chapter Eight: Cottage on a Beach**

The warmth against the front of my body. My nose and mouth buried in the crook of her neck, her hair tickling my eyelids. My arm wrapped around her waist, her hand holding mine firmly against her stomach. They were the greatest feelings in the world. I fell asleep like this, and it was just so much better waking up this way. I let out a breath and allowed myself to pull her closer, sneaking a kiss onto her sweet neck. Bella sighed contentedly and turned around in my arms. She was smiling, pushing herself into my chest though her eyes were still closed. Mine were partially opened, but I smiled widely as she wrapped her legs around mine and actually slipped her hand a little ways up the back of my shirt. I gasped, but relished the feel of her hands against my skin.

I breathed in heavily, and let it out in a tiny, tired moan. Bella's eyes fluttered open, looking up at me. "Good morning," she murmured, her lips curling into the sweetest little gin. I flashed her a wide smile.

"Good morning," I murmured, wrapping my arms around her tightly. We both settled back in, feeling completely comfortable and at ease in each others' arms. The smell of her hair was strong in my nose and I opened one eye, glaring at the light pouring in the window, and the time flashing on my clock.

Despite the fact that I had made plans for today, I really did not want to go anywhere. I was completely fine with lying here in her arms for the rest of the day. Bella sighed again, her lips lightly grazing my collarbone and it sent my heart into overtime.

"Aren't we supposed to do something today?" she mumbled sleepily. I grunted, causing her to laugh and then stretched out, my feet escaping the blankets and my hand hitting the headboard. We both looked down to the foot of the bed, our toes and bare legs sticking out underneath the blankets which were wrapped around our limbs, the legs of our pyjama's hiked up to the knees.

Bella started to sit up, but with a moan and a whiny 'no,' I pulled her back down, holding her tightly in my arms.

Bella laughed into my chest and lay there, half on top of my, my arm around her, just staring at the ceiling. I couldn't help but feel like Bella just... _fit_ there, in my arms, right by my side. It's like we were two halves that were meant to be together. And, as cheesy as that may sound, it felt _right_. Which, was why today was the day I was planning on telling her that. I couldn't stand being here, watching her, how beautiful and amazing she was, and not being able to do anything about it. She had a little over a week left, and I was going to tell her exactly what I was feeling and make the most out of the few days we had left.

"Breakfast time!" she exclaimed suddenly, jumping off of me and the bed and skipping out of the door to the kitchen. I grumbled before tumbling onto the floor and following after her. There was a clatter in the kitchen and I rushed around the corner, peeking around the island to see Bella sitting on the floor in front of the oven, wrestling with the pots and pans to get a frying pan out of the drawer. Her pants were rolled up to her knees and her dark curls covered her shoulders. I chuckled at her and she turned to look at me innocently before continuing her business.

I opened the fridge, still trying to wake up as I pulled out some eggs and cheese, a few onions and ham. Bella placed the frying pan on the burner, greasing it and turning up the heat while she started beating the eggs. I took out a knife and began chopping up the green onions. Bella was humming to herself, perhaps forgetting that I was here, so I began whistling with her. She giggled but continued humming while I started cutting up the rest of the food before we mixed it together and poured it in the frying pan.

By then we were full out singing the song, dancing around the kitchen in our pyjama's and then serving up food, leaning over the island while we ate and staring at the tele in the living room.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked me when she was finished her omelete.

"I'm bringing you down to my Mum and Dad's place, by the coast," I said forking the last bit of egg into my mouth. Bella snickered.

"'Mum' he says," she mumbled, walking over to place her plate in the dishwasher. I rolled my eyes but grinned at her all the same. We spent the next hour gathering up all the dirty dishes and filling up the washer before we turned it on. We put all the garbage together and I brought it out to the dumpster while Bella got changed.

"Are we staying for the night?" she called to me when I walked back inside.

"Yeah, Mum's got a couple of rooms, so I don't think she'll mind. Besides, it takes so long to go down there, it's almost pointless to see them for a few hours just to get back here before it's too late." Bella poked her head out of the guest room door. I could see from her bare shoulders that she wasn't wearing much, and her hair was damp, proving she'd just gotten out of the shower. I felt my cheeks grow a little hot so I walked past into my room. I pulled out my duffle bag and threw a change of clothes into it, along with a book before I went to knock on Bella's door. She answered, dressed in a pair of black jeans and a long red sweater, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows and a silver belt was tied around the top of it. I tore my eyes from the neckline of her shirt to her agitated eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked concernedly. Bella was holding a set of clothes in her hands.

"I haven't got a small bag to bring these clothes in," she said frantically. I grinned and held out my opened bag.

"I figured as much, use mine, it's not like we're taking a lot." Bella smiled thankfully and threw her clothes into it, then snatched it from my hands and escaped back into the guestroom. I sighed and went back to dress myself. I did it simply, a pair of dark jeans and a grey v-neck sweater. I rubbed my hands through my hair and picked at a few pieces, hoping to get it into some sort of order, though that was nearly impossible. I was on my way to the bathroom to wash my face when Bella came out of the hallway, drawing a quick breath a looking up to me. I lost my own breath. she was stunning. She was now wearing a long necklace of black and white beads and a pair of flat, silver shoes. Her dark hair was dried and curling around her shoulders and face so perfectly, it took everything in me to stop leaning forward and to keep moving down the hall.

"Um, I think we should get ready to leave soon," I croaked out, taking the bag from her and walking quickly to the living room.

"Wait, I want to make something for your parents, since they don't know we're coming," she said sweetly, rushing to the kitched cupboards and looking inside. I'm disappointed to say that the only thing she found was flour and cocoa.

"Can we pop to the store before we go, I don't want to use up all of your mothers' things," she said, smiling at me. My heart stuttered and I nodded, swallowing hard as we both walked to the door. I grabbed my dark coat, and she grabbed hers. I took extra care locking the door behind me to try and clear my thoughts.

Bella had been in this store so many times since she'd been here that she ran ahead of me and grabbed a cart, zooming to the right aisles before I even got through the doors. I was trying to follow her laughter and find her among the baking supplies but laughing so much myself made it hard. Eventually she stopped running and I found her concentrating hard on a bag of icing sugar. I snuck up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. She jumped and yelped, but blushed a bright red when she saw me. I pointed at her face and laughed, but stopped abruptly when she smacked me with the sugar. It only took Bella ten minutes to find everything she needed and to get check out. Then, we were on the road and on our way down to my parents.

I popped in a CD when Bella pulled out her book.

Of course, the fact that the first song was a love song didn't help at all. I changed it, suddenly feeling a lot more nervous.

"You're a part time lover and a full time friend, the monkey on your back is the latest trend, I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else but you..." Nope, can't deal with that one. I knew where it was going. I changed it again.

"You're captivating while evading all the questions I have for you like, 'What exactly makes you tick?' When the guilt sets in tell me what are we going to do?" Well, this one wasn't so bad so far.

"Your tongue is wet with a top secret passion, I hope I am the cause of it. I'll navigate this unsturdy vessel filled with a soft sea of pillows and blankets"

I jumped. "Jesus!" and quickly changed the song. I was a bright red and glanced at Bella who was watching me curiously from over the top of her book. I shot her a quick smile and turned back to the road. The next song was Beatles, which was excellent, except that it started in; "Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love." I groaned again and changed it.

"All you need is love, Edward," Bella mumbled, not pulling her eyes from the page.

"Yeah I know," I mumbled. "Love is all you need."

The next song was holding promise for about a minute.

"How long have I been in this storm? So overwhelmed by the ocean's shapeless form. Water's getting harder to tread with these waves crashing over my head.

"If I could just see you everything will be alright. If I'd see you the storminess will turn to light.  
"And I will walk on water, and you will catch me if I fall. And I will get lost into your eyes, and everything will be alright... and everything will be alright."

"Goddamnit," I mumbled, reaching to change the song. Bella's hand caught mine, small and warm but fitting around my own perfectly. This song was hitting too close to home for me, but Bella said; "Leave it on, I think it's gorgeous," so I left it. The song _was_ beautiful. We were silent as we listened to it, but not for long after. Bella finished one chapter of her book before setting it down and watching things out the window.

"What do we talk about now?" she asked quietly as a smal shower of rain started. I shrugged and stole a glance at her.

"I'm not sure, we know pretty much everything about each other," I said. It was the truth, we'd talked so much before, there wasn't much more to say now.

"Tell me a secret," Bella said smiling widely at me. I grinned but kept my eyes straight ahead.

"Well... I never listen to the radio if I can help it," I said. Although, my usual favourite CD wasn't being very helpful to me today. "What about you, tell me a secret now." Bella sighed and sat back down into her seat.

"There's a good reason why I don't like sleeping alone," she said. "It _is_ because I'm more comfortable with someone there, but I have some sort of insomnia when somone isn't in bed with me. Not always in a romantic sense, but I need to have someone there for me to fall asleep."

"What do you do at home, then?" I asked. This was news to me!

"At home it's really hard. I didn't get a lot of sleep until I met you, because we talked until so late at night, so it was a lot easier to handle. Here I've had either you or Rosalie. When I was with my parents they were close by, so it was pretty simple to get to sleep. But, at my own house? Not so easy. I think I'll get a cat when I get home, I think even that will help me sleep."

"Wow," I murmured. "It has to be _our_ cat, though," I said. "We are married. We share possession of everything, or something." Bella rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Okay, you can help pick him out," she told me. I grinned and we continued a more lighthearted conversation for the rest of the ride.

I brought Bella to a small convenience store once we reached Mum and Dad's small town. She picked up the fresher ingredients there and then we continued down towards the beach to my parents' house.

"Edward!" Bella exclaimed, stepping from the car with an armfull of groceries. She stared at the cottage in awe. "This is where you grew up?!"

"Yep," I smiled. "I think they're gone out, their car isn't here..." I tried the door before pulling out my key and unlocking it myself. "Yeah, they're definitely out." Bella moved quickly, finding the kitched in the small house and then pulling out a few mufin trays from underneath the oven. She found a glass bowl and we immediately set ot work, fixing a batter for the cupcakes and one small cake she was planning for Mum and Dad. I stared in awe of Bella, how at ease she was in a kitchen, whipping up a batter in a little over the time it took the over to preheat. She poured out the cupcakes and placed them into the oven in the shortest amount of time I'd ever seen.

"Nice work, soldier," I said, saluting her. She laughed lightly and reached up to wipe a bit of batter form my cheek.

"I'll say, you didn't do a bit of work," she countered. I shrugged.

"It can't be helped, I'm still completely knackered." Bella let out a loud laugh.

"Hah! 'Knackered' he says!" She gets a kick out of the way we say things here. After cleaning up the dishes and leaving them on the drainboard to dry, Bella pulled out the chocolate treats and placed them on a rack to cool. There was still no sign of Mum and Dad, so I took Bella's hand carefully in mine and smiled sweetly to her. My heart started pulsing erratically. I brought her down the small hallway to where we'd be sleeping that night, but I brought her there for a different reason.

I opened the door, greeted by the small bed and large desk. Carefully I brought Bella inside and stood her next to the bed. I smiled at her, studying her features and her beautiful face. C'mon Edward, you can do this.

"This is where I read your letter for the first time," I said to her softly, tapping my desk. I reached into the drawer and pulled out the glass bottle it had come in, the wax still around the top. I passed it to her and saw a faint blush on her cheeks in the growing darkness.

"Did you find it around here?" she asked quietly. I nodded and took her hand, leading her to the porch where we dressed quickly, then outside and across the road to the beach.

"I've told you about how I found it before," I murmured slowly as we walked along the sand, the cold ocean air biting our cheeks and blowing our hair around our faces. "But I'm not exactly sure if I told you _why_ I was out here." I Bella shook her head and I stopped, reaching the spot where months ago I had found her bottle.

"I came out here to clear my head because for a long time I've felt like something was missing, and it really bothered me beacuse no one else felt that way. So naturally I assumed everyone else found it already." Bella leaned in to me, taking my coat and wrapping it around her back, trapping both of us inside its warmth.

"And I think the thing that was missing was love," I said quietly, leaning my head into her hair, holdng my arms around her to keep the jacket closed. "And if I'm going to be honest to both of us, then I have to admit that it hasn't felt like a part of me is missing since I met you." She looked up at me, an expression glittering in her eyes that I couldn't pick out straight away. "Since I met you, I feel whole and I feel love," I confessed.

There was silence for a moment before Bella reached up on her toes and crushed her lips strongly with mine, and then there was no stopping us. Our mouths and tongues moved together in a frenzied fashion, each of us wanting more to taste. Her hands roamed aggainst my back under my coat, sending chills up my spine.

Somehow, and I'm not completely certain how, we wound up at the door to my parents' house. I was fumbling with the key to the door while Bella kissed my neck, pinned in between the door and myself. At one instant what she was doing felt too good and I dropped the keys, returning to kissing her and holding her myself. We both let out pleasured moans.

"Ahem?" a voice cleared behind us. We froze and Bella stared into my eyes, our bodies still dangerously close. She glanced over my shoulder, squeezed her eyes shut and knocked her head against my shoulder. I turned slowly, afraid of what I'd see. My father stood maybe three feet away from us grocery bags in his arms and one eyebrow raised in a questioning manner. My mother stood at the end of the walkway, her eyes wide and mouth open in shock. The bags dropped from her arms, oranges rolling across the lawn.

"Oh! Hello," I said nonchalantly, chuckling nervously. "You're home then?"

"Yes..." my father said in an irritated tone. I felt my cheeks grow hot, definitely a bright red. Bella was hiding behind me, her eyes wide in shock, or fright, I'm not sure. We both stepped aside as Dad unlocked the door and went inside with his groceries. I jumped before hurrying down to the end of the walk way and gathering up Mum's things. Bella followed behind me, taking her bag from her and filling it back up while I found the rest of the oranges. We went to the trunk of their car and pulled out the rest of the groceries. Bella went inside while I placed a hand on Mum's back, leading her inside.

"I'm really sorry, Mum, that was completely unacceptable of me," I tried to explain. We'd probably be driving home tonight after all. Dad was standing in the kitchen, looking curiously at the things Bella had baked.

"What's all this, then?" he asked, sounding a slight bit happier than he had been. Bella blushed lightly as she put the bags down and I smiled at her.

"Mum, Dad, this is my friend Bella," I said softly. They turned to her, smiling nicely. I'm certain they weren't entirely mad, Mum had wanted me to find someone forever. "We were hoping we could spend the night down here with you guys, to visit before she has to go back home."

"Where do you live, Bella?" Mum asked.

"In America, on the coast," Bella replied. I watched my parents' eyes widen.

"How did you two meet?" Dad asked. I smiled and took Bella's hand, she looked really nervous.

"In a message in a bottle," I said. "Remember the last time I was down? When I went for a walk on the beach I found the bottle she sent, and once Emmett and I got back into town I wrote her a letter back, and we've been talking ever since."

"Edward," Mum began. "That was months ago! Why haven't we heard of her before?!" I shrugged and smiled.

"She was a secret," was my response. Mum and Dad both smiled and got to work putting away their groceries.

"I'm sorry for seeming so shocked, Bella," Mum began, closing the fridge door. "I'm just not used to coming home to my son, let alone with a girl pressed up against a door!" We all laughed, though for Bella and I it was with a blush. "Who do we thank for the cakes?" she asked.

Bella smiled but didn't seem like she knew what to say. "At home Bella owns a catering business, and she makes specialty cakes for different occasions. They're really impressive, so she wanted to make something for you guys," I explained. Then, I pulled out the picture of our 'wedding cake', passing it to Mum and Dad.

"That's just one of them," Bella explained. "I can make things more complicated than that, it's really not as good as Edward makes it out to be." My parents looked at it with awe.

"Bella, this looks amazing!" Dad exclaimed. "I can't believe you do something like this all by yourself..." Bella blushed again.

"My friends own the business with me, they help out a lot, I owe them so much..." She had the most adorable smile on her face as she thought about them, I couldn't help but stare, her lips looked so inviting and warm...

I glanced up. The parents were watching me over the top of the photograph with wide eyes. Bella didn't notice, she was staring at the cupcakes and playing with a bag of icing sugar. Then, the most horrifying thing happened. They turned the picture over.

"The Cullen-Swan Wedding Cake?" Dad asked with humor evident in his tone. Bella's head shot up, a frightened expression matching my own. "Is there something you're not telling us son?"

"It's just a joke, Dad..." I mumbled, taking the picture away from them. If you ask anyone in my office they'll tell you she's my wife. My parents laughed. Mum stole a glance at Bella's hands.

"I believe you," she said. "You're much too old fashioned to let her go without a ring." Oh God, was my face ever going to be so pale again? Bella asked Mum something about mixing bowls and various other kitchen goods, and once Mum pointed them all out Dad led me to the living room. I brought Our bag down to my room before joining my parents.

"I'm shocked, Edward!" Mum said in a hushed tone as the sounds of glass clinking together sounded from the kitchen. "I haven't seen you in months and then I come home and you're pressed up against this lovely young woman on our front step?" An electric mixer started up.

"I'm really really sorry, Mum," I answered, leaning a bit forward on my seat. "Honestly, it wasn't supposed to be like that, for you guys, but that seriously, was the first time I've ever even kissed her. I suppose I couldn't help myself. I really, _really_ truly like this girl, more than anyone I've ever known. She's about to go home in a week, and that's going to kill me, because I've spent so many months talking to her and getting to know her, and then actually having her here, it's so much better than thousands of miles away, I don't know what I'm going to do..."

Dad smiled and patted my shoulder. "I believe you. She seems like a really extraordinary girl. I can tell she means a lot to you." I smiled warmly at him.

"I think she's just lovely," Mum said happily. "She makes you happy, and that is what I want firstly." I grinned at her and moved to give her a hug. After a few more moments of explaining Rosalie and Emmett to them we settled down, turning on the evening news. Their eyes quickly bcame fixed on the tele, so I stood up quietly and moved to the kitchen, leaning against the doorjamb.

Watching Bella brought a smile to my face. She'd found an apron somewhere and had it tightly tied around her waist, her hair tied up on the top of her head. She was holding a bag filled with melted chocolate and was drawing hearts onto a baking sheet. The entire surface was nearly covered. When she finished she picked up the sheet and placed it in the freezer before turning back to the table, where the cake was covered in what I assumed was a weird sort of icing, it looked like the cake had been carved out of it. She pulled it towards her and began drawing the hearts on it again, a pair each in different positions along the one side.

When she finished she put down the bag of chocolate and took the cake, placing it on the cupboard near the sink. She wiped an arm over her forehead and took in a deep breath. I took that as my moment to move inside, while she stared out the window. I stepped up behind her and placed my hands on the cupboard, trapping her near me. She turned to me and smiled tiredly.

"Edward," she began quietly. "I'm really sorry, for the way I acted down at the beach. That was really forward of me, and I understand if it was never in your intentions with me coming here..." I cut her off by leaning in a little closer, both of our eyelids starting to close.

"Bella," I murmured. "I've wanted that every since you got here, and maybe a little bit before that. I didn't mind at all." Then, I leaned in again and kissed her. This time, it was soft, and slow. Bella let out a soft smile and smiled against my lips, raising her arms around my neck. I opened her mouth with my own and wrapped my arms around her. We were like that, for a few moments before we both broke apart. It was better than if one of my parents came storming in. Which, they did then. At least we were only holding each other.

"Alright then, Bella," Mum said, unaware of our positions. "How about you and I get dinner together for everyone, all right?" Bella smiled and let go of me.

"Sure, just let me finish icing these," she said, picking up another bag of white icing and quickly, expertly twirling it along the top of the little chocolate cakes. She took the tray of them and moved it out of the way before cleaning up the mess she'd made. Mum kicked me out of the kitchen and the two of them got started.

An hour later Dad and I were allowed back into the kitchen where we sat down to one of the bst meals we'd had in a long time. Bella sat by my side, one hand on my leg. It send thrills up and down my spine and I couldn't help but smile all through supper. Occasionally she'd rub my leg, or give it a squeeze whenever she was told of something embarrassing (supposedly cute) of my childhood.

I called Emmett when my parents walked down the hallway to bed, and while Bella changed in the bathroom. I told him that we'd gotten here safe and sound, and when he asked this time if I'd done anything about how I felt about Bella, he wasn't disappointed. He promised to tell Rose, who was bound to be calling as soon as we got home. I hung up the phone and peered into the kitchen as I moved down towards my room. The cupcakes each had two of the chocolate hearts placed in the icing on top of them and looked simple and sweet. I smiled and pulled off my shirt, turning on the light in my room to find my pyjama's.

I settled into bed with my glasses and a book, the bedside lamp the only light once Bella shut off the bathroom light. She peered into my room seconds later, her long hair hanging over her shoulders, clad in those little shorts and grey t-shirt again.

"Um, where am I supposed to sleep for tonight?" she asked me quietly. I grinned and held open my arms for her. She grinned and laughed quietly to herself, shutting the door behind her. She climbed over me into the tiny bed, trapped between myself and the wall. I put down my book and glasses, turned off the lights and turned towards her. Our legs automatically wrapped together and I felt her small hands on my cheeks, pulling me in for the first of many sweet kisses before we could fall asleep in each others' arms.

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**I'm not entirely sure when I'll be updating again, probably the middle of next week, I get three days off from midterms, due to the fact that I only have three. Yay! And yeah, now you know why this chapter was my favourite.**


	9. Impulse Buy

**My midterms are nearly over, one left on Monday, but I sadly won't be on too much anymore. My mother got rid of the internet today without any warning while I was planning on applying for university, so I'll have to make due with the tiny wireless connections I can steal. Err, that's bad, don't do it. I'm going to go start on the next chapter right now, it may be up later tonight, it might be up tomorrow! But, the story is starting to get good now. I'm sorry if you don't hear from me in a long time, I'm trying my best, really.**

**There is a video in my profile of what Tom Sawyer looks like. He's a cutie. After this, the story will start getting gooood. heck yess. :D

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Chapter Nine: Impulse Buy**

Waking up I felt so warm. I was wrapped in a cocoon of heat and a sweet smell filled my nose. I opened my eyes, burning against the light I could see over the mass in front of me. When I focused I remembered exactly where I was, and I couldn't help but grin. My face was securely tucked into Edward's chest and his strong arms were wrapped around me securely. I let out an audible, satisfied sigh as I settled myself in closer, wrapping my leg around his. I felt him stir then, so I closed my eyes to look asleep. Edward stretched and grunted, shakng out of the sleep. He looked down at me and I felt his lips against my head curling into a smile. He wrapped his arms tighter around me and rubbed my back soothingly. I let out a tiny moan from how well his hands felt against me. He stopped, and leaned back to look at me.

I opened one eye and saw him staring at me, an amused expression painted over his face. I closed my eyes and nuzzled his chest, causing him to laugh lightly at me. "Morning," he murmured.

"Morning," I said in a bright, muffled voice. "I was up before you. I bet my fake sleep fooled you." Without arguing he simply 'Mhm-ed' me and then put his hand under my chin, lifting it up to his face and giving me the softest, sweetest kisses imaginable.

I knew there was a good reason to come to England.

I would have been perfectly content staying there for the rest of the day, if Esme hadn't opened his door in an attempt to frighten us awake. We were already awake, so all that did was frighten us apart. We jumped so much that is caused Edward to fall of the bed, only his arm and a leg managing to stay up. Me, being firmly attached to him, attempted to straighten up, but fell anyway due to some sort of momentum... inertia physics thing, I suppose. In any case, I fell right on top of Edward. Esme let out a tiny squeal before falling into loud laughter and then Carlisle must have peeked in too because we heard him laughing as well. The door clicked shut and I let out an exasperated sigh the same moment that Edward let out a pained groan.

"Are you all right?" I asked concernedly, ignoring the fact that I was pressed up against him in all the proper places. Okay... clearly I wasn't ignoring it. Edward groaned and even sobbed a bit, staring up at the ceiling pitifully.

"I think I've broken my bum," he murmured. I bit my lip to keep from laughing as I straightened up on top of him and leaned closer to his face.

"I like that bum," I murmured. "It better not be damaged." Edward turned to me, meeting my eye with a strange twinkle in his own. His mouth was twisted into the most adorable grin I'd ever seen. I smiled and then leaned forward to kiss him again.

"Thanks so much for having us, Mum," Edward said as we packed the car up with our bag and the various baked goods Esme and I had prepared this morning.

"It was lovely meeting you," I said, taking a step towards them. Esme smiled lovingly and gave me a warm hug, Carlisle joined in on it, and with a laugh Edward did too. We were all one big hugging mass in the walkway until I couldn't breathe anymore.

"You're a wonderful girl, Bella," Esme said with a bright smile. "I'm so glad Edward found you." Carlisle wrapped his arm around his wife, rubbing her shoulder gently.

"I'm glad he did too," I murmured to them, turning to see Edward walk up behind me. He happily wrapped his arm around my waist and led me to the car. He shouted out the window that he loved his parents and then expertly pulled away from the side of the road, following it through the town and back out to the highway.

This time, he didn't fidget so much with the CD.

Rosalie and Emmett were waiting for us outside of Edward's flat when we arrived. She grinned at me and ran up to hug me, whispering in my ear that she knew it was bound to happen. Edward and Emmett were talking in hushed tones as he unlocked the door.

"So, what happened?" Rose asked with a wide smile. I blushed and hung up my jacket, my eyes wandering to Edward, pulling on his sweater while he walked into the living room.

"We were making out in front of his parents' house when they came home and caught us," I mumbled, smiling at her. Rosalie's eyes bugged out of her head and she fought to stifle back her laughter. I giggled and felt my cheeks turn pink but I tried to keep my reactions in check. A quick glance in passing showed me that Edward was watching me with a happy grin plastered over his lips.

The next week with three out of five of my very favourite people was pure bliss. It was romantic and humorous, and it was the healthiest, happiest time of my life. I truly had never felt as good as when I was with Edward and it was just the ways he'd look at me, or smile to me, or the deep meaning in the little things he said.

Rosalie was head over heels, as was Emmett. He sat by me one day as Rose and Edward were buying some tickets and he whispered that he was madly in love for her, and asked for my permission. I was ecstatic for them. I threw my arms around him and squealed loudly, drawing a few curious stares. Emmett merely gave me his booming laugh and wrapped his arms around me. Edward and Rose came back with confused expressions on their faces and Edward gave me a little pout, stating that he was afraid I might like Emmett better than him.

I simply giggled and jumped up, placing my hands on his neck to draw him to me for a kiss. That day we took a cruise down The River Thames. They bundled me up tightly against the autumn cold and we watched the gorgeous scenery for hours.

My favourite parts were when Edward would sneak up behind me to wrap his arms around me and plant kissed on my neck, whispering silly things in my ears.

Rosalie never spent another night at Edward's, and I never spent a single one in the guest room.

I went with him into work again, the day before I had to leave to wish Katie well and give her a huge hug. I stood with her while Edward went to speak with his boss.

"How was your stay in England?" Katie asked me. I blushed furiously.

"I got more than I could ever ask for," I mumbled. She giggled and grabbed my arms, pulling me farther into the lunch room where she poured a cup of tea for herself and another for me. I took the warm mug and held it with both hands, letting the heat seep through my skin.

"So, how _is_ your husband?" Katie asked, cocking one eyebrow with a develish grin. I smiled and laughed quietly, taking a sip of the soothing drink.

"He is absolutely amazing. He has been nothing but a gentleman and I think I like him way too much for the time allotted to us. It is completely unfair that I have to go home tomorrow and leave him here. I do _not_ want to go." I said quickly. Katie laughed and moved to sit next to me against the counter.

"I know what you mean. Emmett's really torn up about Rosalie going, she's a wonderful girl." Katie watched my face with a light smile. "I wish you could stay, I know we'd be great friends if Edward didn't get to hogg you." I chuckled with her again.

"I know what you mean. I really don't want to have to go, but I need to." We both made sad faces which was when... Mike? as I remember it, decided to come in.

"Why hello there, ladies," he said with a stupid grin on his face, attempting to make his eyes hooded and sexy. I gagged a little and turned before I could make Katie and myself burst into giggles. I took a sip innocently. Mike stood in front of us with his hands in his pockets, looking too confident.

"Michael," Katie said in a down to business tone. "How may we help you?" Mike shrugged, attempting a nonchalance that was impossible for his to pull off. I snorted lightly and turned away for a second time.

"I was just wondering if you ladies are free tonight," he said, sounding like a complete sleaze. I looked at him angrily. For all he knew, I was _married_ to his coworker. That was precisely when Edward walked in with the cutest expression on his face, searching for me. I downed my cup and placed it on the counter before stepping towards him with a smile and reaching up to plant a kiss on his lips.

"I'm sorry Mike, but I'll be with my husband tonight," Edward smirked and wrapped his arms around me, watching me from over me. Katie smiled at him, almost looking sad about it.

"I'll be with my family tonight, and will not be available any night that you are," she said sharply before turning to walk with us outside. I giggled at leaving a stunned idiot in the lunchroom and Edward rubbed my shoulder while chuckling happily. Katie pushed Edward away and flung her arms around me.

"I'll miss you, girl I've hardly known!" she said dramatically. That just caused me to break out into more hysterics and after a few more goodbyes Edward and I were heading down the elevator.

We met up with Rose and Emmett and spent the rest of the day doing as many touristy things that we could cram in to less than twenty four hours. we stayed up late and slept in until lunchtime. I dragged myself out of bed and moved to the kitchen, preparing a breakfast for Edward and I. I picked up the tray and moved carefully to the bedroom, placing it carefully on the floor while I climbed into bed and on top of Edward. I laid myself on top of him and pressed gentle kisses onto his shoulder, collar, neck, cheek and finally met the smile on his lips as they pushed carefully against my own.

"I like waking up like this..." Edward murmured. I giggled and rolled off of him. He whimpered sadly while I leaned over to pick up the tray, scooting closer to him and placing it on both of our laps. Edward kissed me sweetly before we both set in, finishing on record time to fit in some well deserved cuddling.

We spent most of the day in bed together talking, and I had a small epiphany of great proportions. Small, in the sense that it only took a moment, because I sort of knew all along. Great, in the sense that it was because I realised I was in love with him. This amazing man, that was just lying here, with one arm wrapped around me in his warm bed, chatting about simple things. It was enough to make me consider giving up everything at home to stay here. But, there was Alice and Jasper, and the annoying _what if_'s. What if: he didn't love me, didn't want me here, was waiting for me to leave, was afraid of commitment, had really scrawny legs. I pushed myself closer against him, relieved to find the last _what if_ not a factor. Edward looked at me curiously and I simplt grinned at him, pressing my lips against his.

We dragged ourselves out of bed when Emmett and Rose came over. I got up and showered, packed my bags and set a batch of cookies in for the boys. Rose was giving me the saddest expression I'd ever seen.

"I'm in love, Bella," she murmured into my shoulder while I rubbed her back. "I don't want to leave that. He's just so perfect... Thank you for bringing me with you."

"Oh, Morose Moose," I mumbled, causing Rose to burst into a fit of giggles. "Don't make me so depressed."

"Why moose?" she asked, trying to lighten up the situation. "Why not something more delicate, like Morose Mouse." I rolled my eyes.

"Mice are infected vermin whose only purposes are to feed owls and test perfume," I said sarcastically. Rosalie scoffed.

"Moose are just gigantic horny things!" she exclaimed. Edward and Emmett looked over at us curiously. I rose an eyebrow, as if there was need for argument.

Rosalie blushed furiously, crossing her arms with with a 'hmph'. "Shut up Bella, don't even say a thing."

We rode to the airport in silence. Rosalie and Emmett were whispering in the back, but Edward and I just looked like someone had run over our cat. I looked at him for the fiftieth time and wrapped my hand around his. He glanced at me and smiled, rubbing my hand with his thumb. The airport was empty, practically. It was so eerily quiet, I felt terrified to get onto that plane.

It wasn't long at all before they called the boarding for our flight. Edward turned to me with a pained expression on his face while Rose and Emmett told each other how much they loved each other. My heart was swelling as he leaned forward, cupping my face in one hand. He kissed me sweetly, our lips moving gently together. I wanted to cry. He felt so good, and so right. I'd never felt this way before. Aaron Greene in junior year held nothing to this. I wrapped my arms tightly around Edward and moved as closely as I could to him.

When we broke apart I knew I had to tell him, before I regretted it, before I was gone with no idea when I'd see him again, although I was sure I would. "Edward?" I murmured softly to his lips.

"Yes?" he asked quietly. I rose my eyes to his, watching my from underneath his lashes.

"I love you," I whispered, biting my lip to wait for a response. I felt his breath stop and a smile curl his mouth before he pulled me tighter and kissing me fervently. I smiled widely and wrapped my arms around his neck, enjoying this all too much. My flight was called again, just as we began to slow down. Edward groaned sadly and I moved away, taking his hands in mine.

"I love you so much, Bella," he murmured, kissing me gently again. I spent a few more moments pressed against him kissing him, Rosalie hadn't even stopped with Emmett. When they called the last boarding we all broke apart.

"I love you Edward," I said, backing away slightly. He nodded and smiled, passing me my bags and squeezing my hand as he kissed me for the last time before I walked through the gate and onto the plane.

Rose and I cried most of the trip home. And, although we were so happy to see Alice and Jazz again, we missed our English boys the most. As Rosalie was stepping out of the car to head to her apartment I looked up to her and sadly said; "Pip pip, cheery-o?" She began sobbing and rushed up the stairs. Alice dropped me off, thanking me for her dress and whispering that she'd come see me tomorrow.

I collapsed in bed, too tired to feel like an insomiac, and dreamt about Edward.

Riiing... Riiing... Riiin--

"Hello?" I murmured groggily into my phone. I glanced at the clock underneath my hair. 10 am. A happy chuckle sounded through the receiver.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Edward called. I immediately relaxed and smiled. It was a natural reaction to his voice.

"Hi," I said. "I miss you so much. Rose and I pretty much cried the entire way home."

"I know what you mean," he murmured. "Emmett and I haven't been the nicest of guys all day." I sighed.

"Are you at work?" I asked. Edward made a sound.

"Unfortunately. Mike's been wondering how my wife's been. Katie misses you too."

"Aw, tell her I miss her more." Edward chuckled.

"I just wanted to make sure you got home okay," he said. "I actually have to get back to work, but now you're up, and you're home. That makes me a lot less worried." I smiled. He's so sweet.

"Thank you," I told him. "I'll talk to you later, I'm sure." Edward chuckled. "I love you," I added.

"I love you too," he said, and I could hear every ounce of it in his voice.

Shortly after hanging up, Alice bounced into the room, landing next to me on the bed. The impact made me fly upwards, nearly falling off. I was scrambling back onto the mattress while she giggled at me.

"Brighten up, Bella," Alice said, flinging down my bed sheets. "I know you're madly in love with your english muffin, but we've got an engagement party to feed tonight! We need to go shopping for foodstuffs, pronto." I screwed up my face at her, but she merely pushed it away and skipped to my closet, pulling out an outfit for me to wear.

"It's gotten pretty cold," she murmured, passing me a pair of black jeans and a long blue sweater. I pulled them on while her back was turned and took the accessories passed to me. I was permitted, thankfully, to just wear my Converse sneakers outside.

Alice and I bundled up against the cold before heading out to the catering van, our favourite piece of frighteningly logo-ed metal to drive around town.

"We'll need to pick up Rose and Jasper on the way back home," she said as I pulled into a parking spot in front of the grocery store. "They're gone out to pick out some things for the wedding." I squealed with her as she hopped into my cart and I pushed her around the store.

We were given many rude stares, Alice being buried in food in my cart and all, but I was having too much fun with my best friend to care, it thankfull got my mind off how empty I felt without Edward there, his strong, beautifully accented voice saying sweet or funny things near me.

I was quiet while we went through the cash register, thinking about England and it's magnificent boys. Alice immediately snapped my attention back when I had to pay as she scurried out to the car with the bags. I let my mind drift to a conversation Edward and I had had about pets, and how it would be a good idea for me to get something to keep me company before I was with Edward again. We even discussed names. I thought about it more and more as I passed through the automatic doors and decided that spending a ridiculous amount of money on pet supplies was exactly what I needed. That, and a little critter to keep me company at night.

"Kittens!" A small girls' voice called from outside the stores' door. I froze where I was and turned to her. And young girl was sitting down next to a cardboard box. Written across it were the sloppy words "Free Kittens!" and I felt myself grinning. I threw myelf to the ground in front of the box, taking the girl by surprise, I'm sure, as I gazed down at the cutest, fluffiest kittens I'd ever seen.

"They're Norwegian Forest cats!" she said proudly. "Do you want to take one home?"

"I most definitely do!" I said in awe, sticking my hand down towards them. There was one little guy who came rushing towards me, mewing and rubbing his head in my hand. The added perks, were how adorable he was. He had white arms, legs, belly and nose, the rest of him was covered in a sort of black and brown tabby. He was gorgeous.

"He's so sweet," I murmured, picking him up and cradling him in my arms. The girl smiled.

"He's the runt," she exclaimed happily. "But he's very friendly and playful." I giggled as the kitten reached up to play with my hair.

"How much do you want for him?" I asked her.

"We don't want anything!" an older voice said. I looked up to see what I supposed to be the girls mother and I stood up, still holding the little furball.

"Are you sure? Norwegian Forests are really beautiful cats, I'm sure if we were in Norway I'd have to pay you some sort of large sum!" The woman chuckled.

"This litter was a complete accident between two of our cats. We just want the kittens to go to a good home." I smiled, tears welling up in my eyes as I hugged them, careful not to squish my new friend.

"Thank you so much," I said. "This means a lot to me, I'll take really good care of him, I promise!" The little girl giggled and scratched the kitten goodbye.

"What are you going to name him?" she asked. I smiled and winked as I pressed a twenty dollar bill into her hands.

"I think I'll call him Tom Sawyer," I said. "That would be a nice name, right?" she nodded, her eyes bright.

"Bye Sawyer!" she called as I walked away. I giggled myself and let out a tiny squeal as I hurried to the van. Alice was sitting in the drivers' seat, looking irritated because she had to wait for me.

"We have to go to Petcetera!" I exclaimed, hopping into the front seat. Alice looked like I'd just grown a siamese twin out of the side of my head.

"What are you talking about?!" she exclaimed. I grinned and let Tom Sawyer walk around on my lap, mewing adorable. Alice squealed and picked him up, stroking and kissing him.

"What is this!?" she nearly yelled. I grinned.

"Just an impulse buy."

We picked up Rose an hour after we'd bought catfood, dishes, litter, an insane amount of toys and a _large_ scratching post that looked like a house with a giant pole sticking out of the top of it. At home I pushed a blanket into the house part and Tom Sawyer immediately crawled inside, curling up and falling asleep. Alice, Rose and I lay down on the floor in front of him, just watching him sleep.

"He's so cute..." Alice murmured.

"I'm surprised you didn't call him Edward," Rosalie mumbled. We all laughed. Jasper came through the door at that moment, looking at us completely confused before we motioned him over and he aww-ed at Sawyer. I sighed happily and jumped up, turning on my computer to start a video call with Edward.

"Hi," I said happily once I connected with him. "I have news-- we're parents!' Edward's face was laughable, he had no idea what was going on. I brought the webcam on the laptop down directly in front of the kitten who looked up for a moment, stretched and then curled back up again. There was a collective aww from my friends, and one from Edward.

"He's absolutely great, Bella!" Edward exclaimed. "What did you name him?"

"Tom Sawyer," I said happily. "Sawyer for short." Edward smiled at me.

"It's a perfect name," he murmured. My heart beat erratically at finally seeing him again, but we both had to go, work to do.

Jasper stood up with a sigh, clapping his hands together and walking with me out to the kitchen to get started on the food. It wasn't long after that the girls followed and we started busily into work.

I'd missed this, being with my friends. We started our production line to prepare the hors d'oeuvres, passing various steps down the line to one another. We'd finished our quota when I heard a sad meow and turned to see Sawyer standing at my feet, looking up at me with wide eyes. Without another movement he jumped, latching himself onto my leg and proceeded to climb up my pants. He started to slow once he reached my hip and I was afraid he was going to fall, so I reached out and grabbed him, lifting him higher up. His funny tiny purr filling my ears as he happily settled into my arms, waiting for something to eat.

All of my friends were watching with these expressions on their faces that made me start to shake with laughter. Alice glared at me but filled Sawyers' dish with food anyway and we went back to work, working right up until the party was about to start.

I watched them race off in their van, but instead of moping around the house in my lonliness, I turned on a conversation with Edward and flickd a feather around for Sawyer, feeling complete and content in that moment.

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**Mhm. And, I think you should all go subscribe to the C2 _Human Moment._ It's got some really great stories in it. I know, because I picked half of them, aha!**

**So, once again, apologies for not updating, give all of your cats a smack for me since mine's chewing the corner of my laptop and I have to fight her off!!**

**Oh, AND. It was my birthday last friday. I am now 18 :D**


	10. Transatlanticism

**Kudos to CoryMichael for having a freaking _awesome_ favourites list. It kept me sane the past couple of days. And Yeah, I'm a bit of a profile creeper.  
I am surprised at how many of you thought this was over! Never fear my darlings. I have mastered the locating of all wireless connections near my house. I am not going anywhere. Prison, maybe, but I'm sure they'll have a decent connection there. ...lawlz.**

**I'm also happy with the stories you've all told me of your cats, they're great. cats are stupid, ahah.  
Apologies for the shortness of this chapter, but Edward without Bella is boring and depressed. Now, next chapter is something to look forward to, and two chapters after that.**

**I came up with SO many more ideas for this today. It shall be longer than anticipated. :B**

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**Chapter Ten: Transatlanticism**

A month. A whole, excrutiatingly painful month without the love of my life. Pure torture.

Waking up every morning without her made me frown and almost burst into tears, not hearing her moving in the kitch or falling over things in the living room made my shoulders sag. The flat was so depressingly quiet and empty -- cold, without her here.

The result of my gloomy morning was me, walking into work every single day looking like someone had just run over my puppy. Or, sent my 'wife' across the ocean. I'd spent the whole day at my desk, going over files and notes, scheduling meetings with various writers. Whenever I couldn't find anything to preoccupy myself with, I put my head in my hands and cried.

Dry sobbed, at least. Emmett would walk by and notice me and sit down for a mope as well. We were distraught, unable to keep living. Despite how melodramatic it seemed, Katie found it quite humorous.

"Would you two quit acting like a couple of girls and get some work done?" she asked furiously, though there was a smile evident on her face.

"Shut up Katie," Emmett mumbled, crouching down next to my chair, his head barely peeking over my desk at her. "We're heartbroken here, can't you tell? Leave us to be pathetic please." With nothing else to say to his sister he proceeded to sift through the papers in my garbage can.

"I miss Bella," I drew out in a croaky, strained voice. Katie's eyebrows rose and she stifled her laughter.

"Edward, my dear. I realise you miss Bella, but why don't you do something about it, instead of sitting around here making my job difficult?" Katie put her hands akimbo and looked at me expectantly. My head, resting in my hand my my cheek drag up to my eye and my mouth hung open. I looked at her lazily.

"But I have no more vacation time for a long time," I mumbled. Emmett held up a piece of paper and looked at it curiously before tossing it on the floor.

"I wasn't talking about vacation time, Ed," Katie said exaspertedly. She rolled her eyes up to the ceiling and muttered something I couldn't hear. "Listen. When Mr. Hann calls for meetings today, _take one,_" she stressed. "You too, Em." She walked away without another word, glaring at us and clutching the files in her hands tightly. Emmett made a noise.

"Why did you have an appointment for an EKG?" he asked curiously, looking at the doctors' letter I'd thrown in there earlier. I sighed.

"My chest has been feeling funny since Bella left, so my doctor sent me to the hospital to get it checked up. I'll get the results back soon, I suppose..." Emmett stood up and kicked the garbage bin back in place.

"Maybe I should go for one too... my chest has been weird for about a month now..."

"Sort of like, an aching, right from the middle?" I asked, rubbing the spot lightly.

Emmett nodded and mimiced my motions. "Yeah. It eases up a couple times. When I'm on the phone to Rose or something. Other than that it hurts all the time." I nodded. We apparantly had the same affliction.

"Well, when I get my results I'll tell you what to watch out for," I said with a sad smile and he headed down the hall. "Weird palpatations, too," I mumbled, picking up the files on my desk.

Mr. Hann stepped out of his office just as I was opening the filing cabinet, pushing around the folders to find the perfect spot. "Edward," he said happily as he stepped up, his coffee mug refilled and steaming. "We're having a staff meeting in twenty, spread the word for me, would you? Just this floor though. The editors are what I'm after, but get along anyone who's up here." He smiled happily at me, his eyes bright. It was infectious, I grinned back, adopting his good mood. He wobbled for a moment and mumbled, then went back to his office.

I poured my own cup of coffee and told those left in the lunch room about the meetings, telling them to spread it on before I went and found Katie and Emmett.

It wasn't long, before everyone was sitting in the conference room, Emmett and I on the right hand side of Mr. Hann as he stood to address the full table.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The production on our America office has been completed!" There were cheers and applause, I clapped, but to be polite. He flicked on a slide, lighting up the wall behind him with a picture of the building alond with statistics, the address, population around there, square footage, everything. What caught my attention was the address, and as I turned to look at Emmett, I was sure by the expression on his face that he caught it too. Katie was standing in the back with a smug grin on her face. I glared.

"My partner, Mr. Michaels is well equipped with some very good workers, but I thought that to start him out properly, a few english representatives were in order. So, I'll be having some meetings with you, interviews, if you will," Mr. Hann explained. He caught my eye for a moment and I grinned. "I'll admit, there _is_ some preference as to who the job would go to, if they be willing to take it, and a raise is in order. Your trip will be paid, your lodging paid until you can find your own place, and the expenses for moving you things will also be handled by us. So, no worries, you _will _be compensated. First class flights. Nice hotels. You know. All that jazz." We stood there, shocked. There were a few murmurs here and there, but for the most part, silence.

Mr. Hann looked at us all expectantly, waiting for anyone to ask any questions. "I'll be in my office, waiting for you. And you really should make a point of seeing me, I hope to have you flying out by the end of this week!" He finished with a flourish of his hand and turned around, heading towards the door into his office. I stood there, mouth agape as Katie and everyone else left through the main door.

"Emmett," I gasped. "Do you realise what this means?" I turned to him and he looked ecstatic.

"Edward, I haven't had sex in a _month_ and that could be resolved in one _week!_" I grimaced, and felt my face heat up. I didn't want to let him know how long I'd been without sex.

"Besides that, Em. We could get back to the girls, like-- permanently! We could be living right down the street from them!" I exclaimed, jumping out of my chair. Emmett stood up with a wicked grin on his face.

"Do you think you're ready for that kind of commitment, mate?" he asked. I froze. Bella was everything I'd ever ask for. I _knew_ she was it. This pain I was feeling from our separation was too strong. My body didn't feel right without her next to it at night, I felt so empty, like I was cut in half. And by God, whenever I saw her on that screen or heard her voice on the phone, my blood started pumping faster than I could keep up with. I'd often excused myself from conversations with her to take cold showers. I needed her near me, so badly.

"Of course I am, Emmett, are you insane?" I said. He laughed with me, but I adopted a serious face and placed my hands on his shoulders. "But are _you_ ready to chase one girl 20,000 leagues across the sea, or whatever, even if it means a complete change in job location, not to mention-- country, no! Continent?" I rose an eyebrow at him, daring him to answer. He swallowed heavily and thought for a moment.

"I most certainly am," he said seriously. "Rosalie is all I've ever wanted." I grinned, feeling it reach my eyes for the first time in weeks. With Emmett close by my side we stepped up to Mr. Hann's door and tapped lightly on it, before opening it up to peek inside.

"Mr. Hann?" I asked softly. "You're not to busy, are you? Might we have a word?"

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Four days.

Four days was all it took for me to pack up all of my valuables and necessities, and things that could possibly be used in two different continents, and packed it into the truck the company sent over. I drove over to Emmett's house, following behind the moving van. Emmett was waiting in the driveway with his few boxes packed up in front of him. I pulled in next to Katie's car. Emmett passed his things up to the workers and sent them on their way before climbing into the car with Katie and myself.

We drove in silence on the way to the airport. Katie concentrated on the traffic around us and on not getting into an accident, after nearly witnessing one. She was going to sell our cars and my flat while we were gone, and send over the money as soon as she could. I'd called my mother the night before. She was pleased with my 'promotion' of sorts, and she said she was hoping to hear from Bella and I soon. Katie struck up a conversation with Emmett about Rose. I stared out the window, absently rubbing the spot on my chest where it used to hurt, but now it was feeling a bit more at ease. We both hugged and kissed Katie goodbye and she wished us luck on getting our girls.

I was ecstatic, on the plane. I did not want to sleep. I did not want to eat the meal they offered me. I wanted to watch the movie they were showing to get my mind off of Bella for two seconds.

I ate the meal. I put on the headphones from my iPod, to a playlist labelled "Lullaby". I took a blanket and pillow offered to me. I shut the window and curled onto my side, letting my full stomach lead me into sleep.

I woke up when we were landing. Emmett was snoring softly next to me. A baby cried from somewhere behind the curtain. I nudged him awake and he awoke with a grunt. We both tried to wipe the sleep from our eyes, but had no problem when the plane started skidding to a halt. That jolted us awake.

Someone screamed behind us, surprised by the impact. Emmett and I laughed, passing back the pillows and blankets. I unbuckled myself and hurriedly took our things out of the overhead compartment.

We were the first off the plane.

Out front a car sent by the company was waiting for us. I grinned widely, grabbing the keys while Emmett politely asked for directions. He came back, after listening to the old lady a couple of times, still not understanding where to go. I snickered and pulled out my new phone, dialing a number I was sure to become accustomed with.

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**I'm thinking I'll close the poll soon. Haha I forgot about it. I should probably work on that, get everything clued up. Someone go yell at LL.ove and Twifan to update their ridiculously awesome stories.**

**AND VJGM! YELL AT HER TOO!**

**Um. No update tomorrow. Monday night, perhaps. I have my last midterm monday, so I should praaahbably study. nighty night!**

**THANK YOU FOR NEARLY 800!!**


	11. Overreaction

**This is short, again, but I thought that it had just the right amount of romance and humor. The next chapter will be a few days. I know what's going to happen, but I have to get caught up with school again**

**SOME OF YOUR REVIEWS MADE ME SO IMMENSELY HAPPY. Like, Mooing Llama, I love that you never sign in, but you always use capital letters and your little signature; MOOING LLAMA OUT. it makes me smile so bad. I laugh every time.**

**I hope you guys enjoy this chapterr. I have to go cry because of mathematics now.  
****(I am also reading a new book - Breathe my Name by R.A. someone. can't remember. anyone read it? I like it so far) **

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Chapter Eleven: Overreaction

Alice pulled the bread from the oven. Jasper hung up from another cake order. Rosalie finished furiously beating a bowl of batter. By hand.

She was just as furious and as upset as me.

I sighed, and leaned onto the counter, the cookie dough sinking into my elbows, as I was leaning on it, the cookie cutters in my hands imprinting their shape into my skin because of how strongly I held them. I stared ahead at the door to my deck and the waves that rolled by aimlessly in the darkness. It got dark at four, that was hours ago.

"Bella, you're going to have to throw half of that out if you don't get your dirty elbows out of it," Alice scolded, smacking my head as I walked by. She and Jasper had been back from their honeymoon for a week now. Since they'd returned we'd been working non stop to get everything ready for all of the late Christmas parties.

"Your elbows are the most temperature sensitive part of your body, Al," I said cockily, standing upright an forcing off parts of the dough into the garbage. "That's why you use them to test the bathwater for babies. Look, a pieceful use of information for you when you knock her up, Jazz." The man blushed and Rose laughed loudly, finally pleased that the depressed-girls-in-amazing-relationships finally got one up on sickeningly-sweet-married-couple. I rolled out my dough again and finally attacked it furiously with my various festive cutters-- trees, snowmen, snowflakes, angels. Circles that I'd decorate into ornaments once I broke out the icing, sugar, and sprinkles. This, was going to be the batch of Christmas cookies to take _all _batches of Christmas cookies. I could feel it.

Okay. So, perhaps I _was_ letting my fury at not being able to be with Edward leak into the work environment. Rosalie was doing it too. She took that spatula to the bowl like she was hacking away at whatever fellow decided to put America and England so far apart. It was a thought that had been tempting for me as well.

"I think you two need to stop moping about these 'chaps' and find some more locally accesible guys," Alice asked simply.

"NO!" Rosalie and I yelled at the same time, jumping towards Alice. She cringed and held onto the countertop for dear life. When she realised we weren't going to hurt her she continued with the hors d'oeuvre's she was making.

"Alice, you don't understand what it is about these guys that makes them so much _better_ than anyone in America-- no offense, Jazz," Rose added, patting his shoulder.

"None taken," he said with a smile and a shrug, doodling out a sketch for a cake.

"But Emmett... he's interested in the same things as me," Rose began, a dreamy look in her eye. "He see's the real me, not just my looks, but the girl who likes getting greasy under the hood of an old wreck, taking things and tweaking them until they're better. He gets excited when he's near me, when he learns something new about me, and he's such a nice guy. And he's so _gorgeous_. That accent? Phew! But even that is just a bonus to how wonderfully funny and... _amazing_ he is!" Alice and I were watching her with a smile.

"And the sex!" Rose exclaimed, pushing the bundt cake into the oven. "I haven't had that in a _month_ and it's absolutely maddening, because he's the best I've ever had. I'm willing to wait for whatever to see him again, because no one will ever meet up to him in my eyes." I think there was a look of horror on my face. Alice and Jasper snickered.

"We don't have that problem, do we dear?" Jasper asked, snaking his arm around her chest and kissing the top of her head. I gagged. The phone rang.

"Bella, you at least should go out and find someone new, I can imagine it's been a lot longer for you in terms of any sexual relationships." Alice sniggered. I shot her a glare and picked up the phone.

"I don't want anyone else but Edward, Al. He's it. I know it. The things he does to me, just by looking at me, it makes my body feel so different and complete. And he's so charming, and funny, and sweet, and smart, and strong and caring and... _beautiful!_ But... I know, that I don't need -- want!-- anyone else but him. He is absolutely perfect for me, and I won't find anyone else who can compare, so don't even _think_ about making me try." The three of them watched me with awe. I looked down at my hand, to find the phone there. I looked at it, confused for a moment, before I remembered that it picked up on it's own once it was picked up from the bed.

"Oh! Hello?" I asked, slamming it to my ear.

"You love me," a nasaly voice called out, followed by a chuckle. I found myself smiling and blushing, cradling the phone between my elbow and ear, picking up my cookies and placing them on a tray.

"I do," I told him. "Very, very much so." Edward sighed happily.

"You know," he began cheerfully. I heard a deep voice mumble something in the background. "Katie was telling me about this movie she saw. It was about this English fellow who moved to America to be with some girl he'd fallen in love with while she was on vacation!" I laughed and cut out more cookies, Rose watching me for any indication that Emmett was mentioned.

"Oh really?" I said happiy. "Sounds like a good movie!"

"Rather confusing, actually," he said seriously. I heard a familiar voice say 'left,' in the background.

"That Emmett?"I asked, watching Rose's eyes light up.

"Yeah, he's moving some furniture," Edward explaining. "Anyway. When he gets to America she decides she doesn't like him anymore, so he's left there, all alone, with no one. Except for some university class he teaches. In America, that is."

"If you moved here just to be with me I would _not_ let you get away," I murmured.

"Good," Edward said in a deeper tone. "In anycase, this guy meets a really amazing girl on the _internet!_ Of all places," I rolled my eyes. He was picking out everything he could related to us. "And she's a really wonderful girl, but it's actually her mother doing it. And, eventually, he falls in love with the girls' mother, and the girl falls in love with her best guy friend."

"If you moved here just to be with me I wouldn't give you time to meet anyone else," I whispered passionately. I could hear the smile in his voice as he whispered; "Good."

"And, lucky you I have no guy friends except Jasper and he's married." Edward laughed happily.

"God, I miss you so much, Bella," he murmured over Emmett saying something else behind him. "I love you so much, you know that right?" I nodded, though he couldn't see, tears forming in my eyes.

"I know," I breathed. "I love you too. I want to see you again. So badly."

"I know, love. I'm working on it, believe me. We won't be apart for so long." It was what he told me many times before. We were trying to find away to actually be together for a longer time, but it was proving to be difficult. I sniffed and wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"I have to get back to work," I mumbled, looking at all of my friends gathered around the food. "I love you, Edward," I told him.

"I know, Bella. I love you too," he said. I hung up the phone, staring at the bright green screen as it faded away, and I couldn't stop the tears that were flowing from my eyes. I sobbed heavily, sniffing loudly as Alice and Rose (crying herself) ran up to me to hold me. Jasper moved behind me and rubbed my back.

"I miss him so much!" I exclaimed. "I just want to see him again so badly, is that too much to ask? I love him. I love him, I love him, I love him. I want to marry him and have kids with him, and I want to pack everything up and go to him, right now." I sobbed, tears streaking furiously down my cheeks. Alice and Jasper were smiling at me amusedly and Rosalie pulled away to smile weakly at me, tears in her eyes as well.

"I love you too," a velvety smooth, oh-so-familiar voice said. I froze. Rosalie screamed and ran past me. Alice and Jasper were laughing happily. I turned and was in complete shock of what stood before me.

Holding Tom Sawyer tenderly in his arms and scratching his ears softly was my one true love; Edward Cullen. I screamed. Edward grinned at me beautifully and set the cat on the floor while I ran to him and jumped into his arms, holding myself tightly against his neck. He held onto me so tightly, his breath was warm on my shoulder. My legs were wrapped around his waist an I leaned back, studying the gorgeous smile and the twinkle in his emerald eyes. I pressed myself to him in a very needed and very happy kiss. We smiled against each others' lips and I pulled away from him, to see the smile on his face.

My heart was soaring. I was ecstatic, squealing as I hugged him tightly after he'd set me down on my feet. Behind him I saw Rose and Emmett in similar positions, just pulling away from one another. Alice and Jasper were laughing loudly behind us and I turned to look at them.

Jasper stood behind Alice and cleared his throat with a deep 'Ahem!' Alice turned, screamed and jumped onto him, kissing him sillily. We all laughed and I leaned into Edward's chest, feeling perfectly at home, and perfectly whole. I wiped the tears away from my cheeks.

"Why are you here?!" Rose and I exclaimed at once. The guys laughed heartily. Edward placed a gently kiss on my cheeks.

"We live here," he said simply. My eyes probably bulged. My mouth did drop open, Rosalie squealed again.

"What do you mean!?" I hollered. Alice and Jasper shook hands with the guys before picking up their jackets and leaving. Emmett and Rose slipped outside soon after to head back to Rose's house.

"I mean," Edward began slowly, wrapping his arm around my shoulder as I showed him around the house. "That I have moved to your town, as it is required of me by my job. They opened the office here, Emmett and I are permanent residents now." I shot my head towards him, my eyes wide. Was he serious? Because that would be just _so cruel_ to say that to me.

"Edward, are you joking?" he grinned widely and shook his head. I started jumping and squealing, making the cat rush out of the room. Edward laughed happily at me before he grabbed my arms and pushed me against the wall, pressing into me fiercly before taking my lips in his own. I was so shocked that I moaned into him, running my hands through his hair. Edward's body was touching me in every place imaginable and he groaned when I opened our mouths and met his tongue with my own, tasting what I had missed for so long.

It set us both over the edge.

I didn't bother with the buttons on his shirt, I pushed it over his head as he untied the apron from my back. I jumped up and wrapped my legs around him as he hurriedly moved into my bedroom. My peasant skirt pulled off easily and I started working on his belt while he admire me in nought but underpants and a t-shirt. I left the belt in his pants as I unzipped them and roughly pulled them down to his knees. He chuckled and stood up again to kick them off. I sat up and pulled off the shirt myself. Edward froze, staring at me in a daze. I grinned and but my lip, standing up and holding firmly onto his shoulders. I leaned forward and barely let my lips brush against his.

Edward let out a shuddering breath and pushed me into the mattress, kissing me furiously. My heart was beating wildly as his hands ran up my sides and I smiled. This was exactly where I wanted to be, the happiest I could be.

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**EVERYONE UPDATED YESTERDAY! THERE WAS SO MUCH TO READ, IT WAS AWESOME.  
I know last time I thanked you for nearly 800 reviews, but now I have over 900, and it makes me so freaking happy. So I suppose I should thank you for getting me to a thousand now, if you all review as much as you did last time. :)**


	12. Claustrophobia

THIS CHAPTER IS FOR MY FRIEND EMILIE WHOA WHO WOULDN'T LEAVE ME ALONE AND LET ME PLAY MY GAMES.  
GO READ HER STORY 'WHERE YOU WANT TO BE' BECAUSE IT MAKES ME GIGGLE.  
I'M SORRY IT'S SHORT FOR NOW.

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Chapter Twelve: Claustrophobia

It took me a moment to completely wake up. I started, breathing in deeply and shifting slightly in bed, feeling Bella's warmth in my arms, against my chest. I wrapped myself around her, kissing her neck lightly and holding onto her hand. I smiled to myself as I reveled in the feel of her soft shoulder against my chest. I brushed her hair from her cheek and kissed it softly, watching her eyes as they slowly fluttered open. She closed her mouth which had hung open. I grinned to myself as she smiled and turned into me.

"Good morning," she said softly, sighing into my chest.

"Good morning, love," I murmured, stroking her arm.

Every morning like this was simply amazing. Waking up to her beautiful face and voice, her sweet kisses. It was too much, too good to be true, yet here I was.

Emmett and I had called Mr. Hann the day after we'd arrived, to let him know to cancel our hotel reservations, and that we'd already found a place to live. He'd expected as much, since the fuss we'd had when the girls were last here.

Bella rolled over on top of me, wiggling her arms underneath my back to wrap them firmly around me. She kissed my cheek sweetly, and just when I was about to lean up for more, she pushed me down by the chest and tumbled out of the bed, quickly scurrying from the room. I let out a loud whining sound before slipping out myself and pulling on a sweater to go with my boxers.

Bella was already sat on the couch, a blanket wrapped firmly around her shoulders and the ps2 loading in front of her. There was a garbage bucket and several boxes of tissues in front of her as she stared intently at the television. She sniffled occasionally as I approached, watching to see what game would load.

"I'm going to make us some breakfast, alright?" I said, kissing her hair and stepping into the kitchen.

"No eggs, please," Bella called from the couch.

"They still making you sick?" I asked. She made some sort of noise, but was quickly immersed in the game. Bella had been sick for the past few days. I'd wanted to stay home and take care of her but she wouldn't have it.

A few moments later I was sitting next to her, placing two plates of toast smeared in strawberry jame in front of us. Bella reached down and shoved one into her mouth, sniffing violently against her runny nose, eyes still fixed on the screen. I chuckled and watched until it was time to get ready.

I changed into a pair of black jeans and a white dress shirt, pulling on my black blazer as I left. I heard the toilet flush and waited in the hallway for Bella to come outside. The door opened and she stood there, frowning, her hair a mess all around her head.

"I hate being sick," she mumbled before blowing her nose. I smiled sympathetically at her and helf my arms open. Bella stuck out her bottom lip and held onto me tightly. I rubbed her back as best as I could while maneuvering us to the living room.

I laid Bella on the couch, pulling the afghan securely on top of her. She pulled the game controller under the covers with her, to keep herself warm while she played. I got her everything she would need so that she wouldn't have to move, then set the phone in front of her before I kissed her forehead and headed out to work.

I loved being here, working in America. It felt so different from back home, probably because I was so restricted to the few places I knew in the city -- the country! Exclude the fact that I'm with Bella, and I'd _still_ really like it here. I felt so important, being from the original Michaels & Hann. Emmett and I had our own offices, complete with secretaries. Unfortuneately, I wasn't having such great luck with mine.

"Good morning, Mr. Cullen," Jessica cooed, sticking her chest out a little further I grimaced but nodded, heading into my office. I started into work immediately, sorting through papers and attending meetings most of the morning. It didn't take long before I had to start tugging at my shirt collar, undoing several of the buttons. It was nearly impossible not to get claustrophobia, being cooped up in my office all day. But, honestly, the real cause was that Bella wasn't around.

When Emmett and I were walking back to my office before heading out for lunch we heard her.

"Oh, Edward!" She called in a low tone. "There's a call for you on line two." She was sitting _on_ her desk, crossing and uncrossing her legs furiously.

"I'm about to head out, Jessica, can you take a message?"

"She said her name was Bella, or something," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "She said it was important, so I thought I'd mention it." I didn't need any other explanation. I ran inside, slamming the door shut behind me. I launched myself behind my desk and picked up the line.

"Are you okay?!" I very nearly yelled. I heard her musical laughter on the other end.

"I'm fine, I just wanted to tell you I missed you." My lips curled into the widest smile of the day. This woman was simply unbelievable. I couldn't believe my good fortune at finding her.

"I miss you so much," I murmured back to her. "I actually think i might try and get off a bit earlier." We spoke for a few more moments, before I excused myself, Emmett still waiting outside. He rolled his eyes at me, once he saw the goofy grin plastered all over my face. I jabbed him in the shoulder and he chuckled, running down the stairs while I took the elevator.

I was waiting for maybe a minute when he came barrelling down the stairs, panting heavily.

"You know," I said. "There's a reason they have elevators that go to places like the sixth floor." Emmett waved his hand at me, still gasping in air.

"Yeah, but now I'll be a spry old man and you'll be a fat geezer in a wheelchair." This man, seriously, he must be insane.

"I'll take the stairs when we go to the second floor,"I sighed, walking away without him. We walked down the street where there was a large strip mall. I picked up a paper bucket full of chinese food, fried rice, lo mein, and some vegetables that I managed to get them to mush into one box for me. I was walking down the sidewalk, looking for wherever Emmett went, shoveling food into my mouth when I saw it.

I stood there, staring at the displays of reds and golds in the window, having a sort of epiphany as I looked over each piece. I finished my lunch and threw it into a garbage bin next to a bench where seated, was an old woman, who was watching me with a grin. I smiled to her before I went back to the window and stared at the showcase once more.

"She must be a lucky girl," the woman croaked. "If you're thinking this much about it." I turned to her and grinned, my eyes flickering back to the store.

"She definitely is," I murmured. I heard Emmett calling my name from down by the New York Fries. Rather than wait for him and head back to the office like I usually would, I waved to the old woman and stepped into the store, the bell on the door jingling as I entered. I heard Emmett from the street, yelling in surprise at where he saw me walk into.

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**Alright, so, excuses.  
There are none, really. I'm not quite caught up with school, but nearly there. I've been to the doctor about my back; massage therapy, woot woot! And, I've been playing video games.  
That's right, I've been enjoying myself.**

**I also, wrote five chapters of a new story, and came up with a plot of an even new-er story. Both of which I'll be posting after this is done.  
I've also got three more that have been started, but I'm not sure if I'll get to finish them. One of them I'd like to, but it isn't superbly superb like the rest.**

**I know it's short, but the next chapter is the shizz, fo reals. I've got half of it written in my head, I've been narrating it all in real life.  
AND GUYSSS. I'm surprised at how many of you said to write a sequel or you were sad it was over! If you've been reading the authors' notes, then I don't know how 'I managed to find a way to make this story even longer' turned into 'it's done now.'  
There's still a little ways to go!**


	13. Surpriiise

**This chapter is for everyone who is as sleepy as me and has had a migraine every single day this week. Like me.  
This chapter is my favourite, I wrote the first half in my head a LONG time ago.**

**THE STORY STILL ISN'T OVER. DON'T WORRY, CALM DOWN.  
Two major things happened in this chapter. Everyone either guessed one or the other. No one guessed them both. Except saranicole, but she's old and wise and knew anyway.**

**And, check out the news section for me being moody.

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******

Chapter Thirteen: Surpriiise

Staring at this shelf was proving to be one of the defining moments of my entire life. I never thought, that the third aisle of the Wal-Mart pharmacy would make such a difference to me. I sighed again, drawing more stares from the people who had been studying pads and tampons the entire time I was here. They were probably wondering how much longer I'd be, standing here in bed shorts and a heavy sweater, staring glumly at the happily coloured boxes in front of me.

I took in a deep breath and pulled down the pregnancy test that looked the most accurate. I smiled at the woman as I passed, making my way to the desk to pay.

"Edward Cullen," I told the lady and she bustled back to pick up the prescription for Edward's flu. Poor kid. At first I thought I'd passed on my sickness to him. Then, I realised that everything I had been feeling was definitely something different. The lady smiled at me when I passed her the box, but I had a migraine so my eyes were drooping.

"Congratulations," she said. "To you and your husband. If it's positive." My mouth curled lightly, but fell back.

"He's not my husband," I said glumly, staring at the bright green price lit up in the bulky plastic debit machine. "Not yet, at least." The woman smiled again, befrore passing me my receipt and bag. I gave a small wave to her and made my way through the store, running back out to the car to keep the cold wind from my legs.

Today was Valentine's day. My first one with an actual valentine. I had purchased Edward's gift weeks ago, and today while he was at work it had come in. Something extremely special from me to him. I rubbed my bare legs as I pulled into the grocery store, and quickly made my way through, filling up the cart easily and trying to ignore the stares my strange outfit was drawing.

I managed to get everything inside in two trips, which was when the taunting began.

That stupid Wal-Mart bag was teasing me, enticing me, begging me to open it and take out the pregnancy test.

I couldn't do it. Not yet.

Instead, I unpacked every thing I had bought and put it away. Edward would be home from work in an hour, so I started on supper. I pulled off my sweater, now parading around the kitchen in my pyjama's which consisted of a grey tank top and grey and lime green shorts.

It was after everything was placed into the oven, ready to cook that I found myself with idle time on my hands. There was the bag again, sitting on the counter, calling out to me. I stood there silently, Tom Sawyer gurgling somewhere in the distance, my leg was shaking.

I jumped towards it, throwing the bag immediately into the garbage but keeping that stupid pregnancy test in my hand.

I went to the bathroom.

And, when I came out, Sawyer was sitting in front of the door, looking at me happily. He did not know that this particular trip to the toilet was one of the most important in my life.

"Hey fluffy-butt," I mumbled, kneeling down and scooping him into my arms. He immediately flopped across me, purring violently and kneading my shoulderblade. I curled my fingers through his fur and stroked his belly. "I guess this means you're not the baby of the family anymore."

I think it was then that I realised that this was Edward's child inside me. This man, who I loved more than anything in the entire planet, who I got so ecstatic over seeing each day, who excited me, just from the thought of him. I loved him _so much_, and this was _our_ baby I was having. This was a combination, a little tiny person that we me and him, all in one.

I started to get so happy, and I knew exactly the gift I wanted to give him. So, I left the pregnancy test, with the little pink plus sign out on the bathroom counter. Sawyer was curled around my neck as I boiled the kettle and made a mug of black chai spice tea, picking up a knife and a pear as I folded myself into Edward's favourite arm chair, sitting next to the baby grand piano I had moved in today as a valentine's gift for him. He was getting two today, if he was as happy about this as I was.

I flicked on the television to a movie, taking me a moment to realise that it was _Sweet November_, and to my delight it was just started. I pulled the afghan that always managed to smell like my 'husband' off the back of the chair, wrapping it around the cat and myself. Tom Sawyer remained curled into a ball in my lap while I ate.

About ten minutes into the movie I heard a noise at the front door.

"BELLA!" Edward's deep voice bellowed. I grinned. He tended to yell at me like a dork.

"WHAT," was my response.

"I LOVE YOU!" He jogged past me, down the hallway to the our bedroom

"I LOVE YOU MORE!" I yelled. Edward chuckled.

"I LOVE YOU UNCONDITIONALLY!" That just made me burst into a fit of giggles. I pushed the afghan away, and Sawyer looked up at me sleepily.

"What have you been doing today?" Edward asked through the door.

"Not a lot. I am currently eating a Chinese Pear..." Edward let out a low whistle.

"Did you get it in China?!" he asked excitedly. I rolled my eyes.

"Of course!" Heavy on the sarcasm. Edward laughed. "I also made tea, your favourite."

"Shut up!" he chuckled, a bit more clearly. "I've got to use the bathroom, I'll be right out." A wicked grin crossed my face. I stood up, the cat plopping to the floor and running down the hallway as I casually strolled towards the bathroom. I leaned against the wall next to the door.

"I left some of my things on the counter," I told him. "You can just throw them out, I don't need them anymore." It was quiet for a moment. I pushed the door open and looked inside. Edward was holding the test, his eyes wide and jaw wide open. I smiled, he looked so cute. Slowly he looked up at me as if looking for confirmation. I bit my lip waiting for his reaction.

His lips curled into a silly grin. "Really?!" He asked goofily. I smiled and nodded, leaning against the doorjamb. Edward through out the test and crouched down to the cabinet, pulling out the box of condoms and began furiously reading the back. "But how did this happen?!" he exclaimed.

"Perhaps we were a bit too vigorous?" I asked smoothly. His eyes shot up to me and he threw the box back into the cupboard, standing up quickly and leaning into me, kissing me deeply.

"Happy Valentine's day," I murmured against his lips. Edward smiled brightly, completely lighting up his eyes before he pulled me against him and kissed me roughly, taking in deep, shaky breaths.

"We're having a baby!" he said quietly, but oh-so-happily. I grinned, and giggled, jumping up into his arms and wrapping my legs around his waist. "This totally kicks the pants out of my gift," he said with a frown.

"Good," was my response. "You still have one more present from me though!" Edward's face paled, as if I could possibly birth the baby right _here_ or something. I grinned at him and kissed his soft lips, clutching onto his hand and leading him to the living room he had passed so quickly moments earlier.

"Sweet Jesus..." he mumbled, before slapping his hand over his mouth. "Bella!" he exclaimed. "When did you buy this?!" He looked giddy, like a small child as he skipped over to the bench and sat down, lifting the cover off the keys of his piano and immediately pounded on chords. I giggled loudly.

"I think you continue to forgot, dear, that we are both very well-to-do people. This _was_ quite the expense, but it was nothing, really, in comparison to how much I love you." Edward looked at me over his shoulder, grinning madly. He held out his hand and sat me down next to him before throwing himself into a happy song. I was so involved, leaning into his shoulder that he took me by surprise when he wrapped his arms tightly around me and kissed my neck and cheeks furiously before reaching my lips.

"I am so freakishly happy that you're pregnant," he mumbled, his eyes drowsy but still gorgeous. I grinned, pressing my lips against his.

"Just do me a favour and don't gain any sympathy weight. That would piss me off more than any hormones." Edward chuckled and kissed me again, before I decided to be silly. "So where's my gift?" I asked excitedly. He sighed and pouted, clearly thinking his gift inadequate now.

"Well," he said with a heavy sigh, reaching into his pocket. "I bought it last week during work with Emmett." He held out a tiny velvet box which made me gasp. _Please_ tell me he wasn't going to do what I think he was. He shrugged, so nonchalantly and opened it up, revealing a white gold diamond ring, with two emeralds on each side.

"I was just going to ask you to marry me," he murmured, his eyes filled with so much love as he gently slid the ring onto my finger and I stared at him with my mouth wide open. He smiled at me and cocked his head to the side, waiting for an answer. I squealed and threw myself at him, kissing him furiously. When we broke apart Edward was laughing.

"Is that a yes?" he teased. I grinned and laughed myself before nodding and kissing him once again.

Edward carried me into the bedroom and kissed me silly while he stroked my stomach, which was more tickling that being sweet. I pulled away from him and sat up, picking up the phone and calling Alice while Edward kneeled behind me, kissing my shoulder up to my neck and down again.

"I'M GETTING MARRIED!"I yelled into the phone before she could say hello. This, was followed by much squealing from the both of us while Edward chuckled behind me. "That's not all I have to tell you," I taunted.

"Bella, you better tell me right now or so help me God I will jump through this phone and karate chop you ninja style!" Jasper was in the background, laughing his head off.

"Now, now, Alice! That wouldn't be good for the baby!" And I promptly hung up. The phone rang so many times in the next few hours, but we ignored it. Instead, we danced around the kitchen, kissing and cooking, but mostly making out instead of cooking. The timer on the oven went off as the doorbell rang-- Alice.

"Could you pass me the oven mitts, Mr. Cullen?" I asked, wiping crumbs from my hands in my blue flowered skirt. Edward grinned and pushed them onto me, his fingers running over my ring as he kissed me sweetly.

"Anything for you, Mrs. Cullen."

* * *

**Teehee! So yes. Edward went into a jewelry store, and Bella is pregnant. Has been for quite some time, but they don't know that yet! I'm not sure when the next chapter will be, I have some catching up to do!  
HOPE THAT I FEEL BETTER BECAUSE I HAVE A HEADACHE AGAIN!**


	14. The In Laws

Sorry! Really Really sorry. I know what it's like, wating for this. I, myself am waiting for another update of several stories. Namely, Stand and You Had Me At Hello. but, their author's have been rater kind to me, and I have not. Breathless Boy's and Gaping Girl's! That's one! hahah. TWIFAN AND SABBY. update. seriously, teehee.

Thank you to Emilie Whoa, who i hope give me a scale of Dylan (aha) she's been making me want to write, and keeping me slightly insane, always good. And thank you foreverinlove17, for checking this over for me. ah luffsss yewww both. My shift key won't work...

I think, that I'm going to make a playlist of songs that I'd recommend listening to while reading this story. They'll mostly be songs I think that Edward and Bella would like, easy listening. Samson and On The Radio by Regina Spektor, and St Augustine by Band Of Horses, are a few.

I've started on massage therapy, which is neat, but my neck hurting more than anything is NOT neat. At least, it has inspired me for another story, eh? Haha. 

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Chapter Fourteen: The In-laws

Ecstatic. That is the only word to explain exactly how I felt when I walked into the bathroom and saw that pregnancy test on the counter. Now, I knew I had everything I'd ever want. Since I had been planning on asking Bella to marry me, this added bonus was the icing on the cake, an appropriate analogy, for my wife's profession.

Wife. Oops. Perhaps I was getting a little too far ahead of myself.

God, Bella was amazing. The greatest thing I have ever done for myself was picking up that bottle on the beach. And here I was, in America with a wonderful job and a beautiful fiancée, and a child of my own. That piano as well, was a wonderful gift. Definitely too expensive, but my fingers had been itching to play. Play something for her.

Alice was sure to be furious, after the stunt Bella pulled, and she wisely predicted the little pixie would be on her way over. Bella changed from her small pyjama's (much to my dismay) into a flowing peasant shirt and a pair of brown cords. We began cooking a few things for our friends to eat once they arrived, and as soon as Bella finished the icing on her cookies, our doorbell rang. I gave her a bright grin and kissed her before heading towards the door.

Alice was front and center, with Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie right behind her. Alice glared at me and her eyes shot to my shoulder, where Bella was peeking over, smiling devilishly at her friends.

"EXPLAIN." The only word to come from Alice's mouth. She pushed her way inside, the others following behind her. Bella kept behind me, her arms wrapped strongly around my waist. She stuck her hand out in front of me, her ring glittering beautifully. Alice and Rosalie gasped loudly and grabbed for her, their eyes wide and mouths hanging open. They looked up at me and I smiled widely, my cheeks starting to hurt from the amount of happiness I was feeling.

"We're getting married," Bella sang, still invisible behind my back. "And Edward's a Daddy!" Now it was time for Jasper and Emmett's mouths to drop, the girls screamed.

"YOU'RE REALLY PREGNANT!" Alice yelled. Bella came out, one arm wrapped around me and nodded at them. The two began screaming and laughing, jumping up and down, unsure whether or not to hug Bella. Finally, they decided to embrace all of us, Jasper and Emmett gave me a pat on the back and Bella a hug.

We threw cushions on the floor and covered the coffee table with food. We turned on a movie and talked about our plans, assigning Alice as the wedding planner and Rosalie as anything-to-do-with-the-baby... planner.

Halfway through the discussion, Tom Sawyer had settled himself in my lap and was now belly up, fast asleep. I leaned my head into Bella's neck and breathed her in. Bella chuckled and kissed my jaw. "Daddy's boy," she muttered, looking down at the cat. We sat in silence, watching the movie in the dark, moving only every now and then to reach for more food. My eye caught the mail I had left on the side table next to the sofa, and I noticed that one of them looked remarkably unlike a bill. I reached around Bella and picked it up, tilting it to read in the dark.

"It's from your parents," she said softly. I flicked it open and pulled out the letter, reading it over quickly, the only thing registering, was the date, and the fact that they should be arriving _here _tomorrow. Bella, apparently was following along very closely.

"OH my God," she exclaimed suddenly, jumping up and frightening the cat. Everyone, myself included, looked at her curiously as she ran down the hallway towards the bedroom and then ran back out again, looking frantic.

"Bella?" I asked quietly. She breathed in and out heavily, closing in on hyperventilating.

"You all have to leave, _now_." she exclaimed, picking up cushions from underneath our friends and ushering them towards the door. "I have to start cleaning, I have to fix up the house, I have to bake something goo- OHH my God..." she was definitely freaking out.

"Bella," I soothed, picking up the cat and stilling her movements, rubbing my hand up and down her arm. "It's just my parents, you needn't worry about anything." She shot me a glare, her nostrils flaring.

"Edward. Your parents have never been to America. They sent that letter weeks ago, knowing that we would get it just in time for when they arrived, and you're telling me not to freak out." I smiled and nodded. "I already made one bad first impression on them! If they're coming here, while I'm _pregnant_ and we're getting _married,_ our house _is_ going to look good. Now, stop looking so cute, and go clean up the bathroom." she pointed an angry finger at the hallway and I waved sadly to our friends as they left, smirking at me and the furious Bella. The cat hopped onto my shoulder as I helped Bella pick up the dishes and bring them into the kitchen. On my way back to the living room to clean up the floor, there was a knock at the door.

Bella looked at me curiously, over the kitchen island while I went to the front door. The bell was rung and I heard soft laughter on the other side of the wood. With a bright smile I pulled open the door and revealed a happy older couple, and then a terrified gasp from Bella.

"Oh, look, a cat!" the woman said, holding out her arms as Sawyer, the traitor jumped onto her.

"OH MY GOD!" Bella yelled and I turned just in time to see her duck behind the counter.

"Who might you be then?" the man asked.

"Edward Cullen," I replied quietly. The two looked at each other and smiled happily.

"We're Charlie and Renée, Bella's parents."

* * *

I found Bella shaking and near tears behind the counter, and after many consoling words and small kisses on her cheeks, nose, forehead, lips, she finally came out with me.

"Hello Mother, Father," she said to them solemnly, glancing around at the small messes in the house. We certainly weren't expecting them to come, and with my parent's on their way, Bella was making herself too stressed. "How are you," she croaked. Her parents laughed and sat down on the sofa, smiling at us.

"So this is the famous Edward," her Mother spoke. Charlie looked at me curiously. Clearly, he hadn't heard of me yet. "He's Bella's boyfriend, dear," Renée explained. "Come all the way from England." I smiled at him, and he nodded, almost in approval, shaking my hand.

"What do you do for a living, son?" Bella was sitting next to me, her heart probably racing a mile a minute. We chatted for a while, what life was like back home. Bella continued to stare between the three of us, until finally Charlie asked how we met.

"Yes, dear. I haven't really heard that one myself," her mother quipped. Bella blushed and her first smile of the evening spread across her beautiful face. I smiled and stared into those gorgeous eyes as she looked into mine before turning to her parents.

"I threw a letter in a bottle out to sea," she said simply. "And he found it, and wrote back to me." Renée gasped and smiled, Charlie's eyebrows rose.

"That's--"

"Terribly romantic!" her Mother cut in. Bella giggled and nodded. Charlie coughed and eyed me carefully.

"He's been so wonderful to me," Bella said, relaxing slightly into my arms, wrapping her hand around my chest. Renée jumped suddenly, grabbing Bella's arm and yanking her closer. Oh, dear.

"Bella what is this on your finger," she said quickly and harshly, her eyes bright and wide. Bella smirked, blushed a pretty pink.

"My engagement ring," she said with a smile. Charlie's eyes bugged out of his head and Renée squealed, grabbing Bella from me and hugging her warmly.

"Edward, may I have a word?" Charlie said, standing up stiffly, looking at me with a hard expression. I nodded and stood up, following him out onto the deck. He leaned on the railing, staring out towards the ocean and sighing heavily. I was, however, quite surprised to see the smile on his face.

"What exactly are your intentions with my daughter?" he asked, a smirk clear on his face, even in this limited lighting.

"To make her the happiest woman alive, sir," I said seriously. Charlie nodded and clapped a hand on my shoulder.

"I don't want you two rushing into things. Are you sure you're both ready for this?" he asked seriously, looking concerned.

"I love you daughter very much, Mr. Swan. I've never in my life felt like this about anyone, and we've been friends for a long time. I honestly can't picture myself with anyone but her, she's everything I've ever wanted, and I'll spend the rest of my life making her happy, giving her anything she wants." Charlie smiled warmly at me, patted me lightly.

"I can believe you," he said softly. "You better make her happy. Bella is my only child, and all I want for her is what's right for her. I'm fairly certain you're it, boy." I grinned to myself as we walked back inside to where Bella and her Mother were talking animatedly. I noticed something in Renée's hand. Something small, white, and a little bit purple. Oh, gosh.

"Charlie, you're going to be a Grandpa!" she exclaimed. Bella laughed at her Father's expression, and I was thankful to see a smile spread across his face. I walked over to my love and pulled her tightly into my arms. Bella laughed into my chest as her parent's embraced each other, and I smiled myself, swaying slightly, almost dancing with her.

We showed them to a guest room and Bella brought them more blankets. For now, they were too awake to even think about going to sleep. But, we were tired after a day's worth of too much news and happiness. I carried Bella into our bedroom and helped her change into her pyjama's, kissing her face all over while I changed into my own.

I held onto her tighter than I ever had before, a gigantic smile on my face as I waited to fall asleep. Of course, I also found it quite funny that while Bella was sound asleep and I wasn't, Charlie peeked in to check on us. My darling wife also took that opportunity to sigh out my name in her sleep, and her Father hastily closed the door, shaking his head, but laughing.

* * *

The next day I had woken up, making a gigantic breakfast with every food imaginable for my lovely Bella, bringing it into her in bed and waking her up with a simple kiss. When I went back out into the living room, Charlie and Renée were waiting, so I offered them the breakfast I had made for them as well. Sawyer jumped onto my shoulder while I filled his bowl with food and then left to head for the airport.

In the car I turned on a CD that Bella had made me, of the favourite songs she found in my music collection. I smiled, when I glanced in the rear-view mirror to see the picture of her I had stuck up there a few weeks ago, and started back into the city, passing the usually exits and heading straight to the airport.

Since it was so early in the morning, I wasn't bothered by swarms of people and all of their chatter. The last thing I needed was a headache, so I stopped in to the small Starbucks and picked up a coffee, skimming over the letter in my hand to find the parents' gate.

Luck was on my side, the plane was there, and I was waiting for only a couple minutes before they walked through, hand in hand, smiling warmly at me. Mum laughed as I swept her into a hug, and Dad patted my back happily while I led them out to the car.

"How have things been, dear?" They asked from the backseat, staring out the windows at the scenery passing us by.

"Very well, actually. The people I'm working with are fantastic. Bella's parent's are down too, now. You'll get to meet them, which is great." Esme let out a tiny squeal from excitement. "You can see Rosalie and Emmett again, and meet our friends, Alice and Jasper too." I pulled up our street, heading straight to the end. I saw my darling Bella coming outside the front door and a smile spread across my face to see here there. She was wearing one of my sweaters, and a pair of red cords that Alice had bought her.

"We have a couple of surprises for you, as well," I told them. Dad helped Mum out of the car and I locked the door quickly, my eyes fixed on the beautifully woman who had her arms wrapped around her chest.

"My God," I heard Dad say behind me. "She's pregnant." I froze, stumbled, but caught myself before I could fall.

"What?" I asked frightened. "How did you know!" Mum's hands flew to her mouth and she ran past us, heading towards Bella. Dad merely smirked at me.

"I'm a _Doctor_, Edward. Do you think I can't tell these things?" He stepped forward and held me tightly. "And, I didn't know. But, you just confirmed that for me, didn't you?" I grinned. Stupid old man...

"CARLISLE!" Mum screamed from the steps. "THEY'RE GETTING MARRIED!" Dad looked at me, eyes wide, and I couldn't help the goofy grin on my face.

"Congratulations, Edward," he said warmly, walking with me up the stairs and pulling Bella in a hug. As soon as I could I took her back and held onto her, kissing her forehead as she smiled at my parents. We brought them inside and introduced them to our parents, the four of them sat down immediately and started going over the news we'd given them, I laughed, whenever one of them got overly excited. Charlie and Dad would occasionally break into their own hushed conversations. I'm also fairly certain I caught Dad reassuring Charlie that I was fit to be a son-in-law.

After a few long kisses in the privacy of the kitchen, Bella started into work on a birthday cake ordered for a little girl's tenth. I went into my office off the side of the dining room and began working on a couple of manuscripts I'd taken home. After an hour's work, I noticed the 'adults' had gone out, and I couldn't hear Bella's singing from the kitchen anymore. There was a message on the machine from Alice and Jasper, but no note from Bella. Her car was still in the driveway, and the cat was fast asleep in the window sill.

I headed towards our bedroom, to check and see if she'd taken a nap, but stopped when I saw her at the end of the hallway. She was staring into one of our spare bedrooms, my university sweater looking much too big on her, the sleeves hanging past her hands. Her hair was messily hanging from a pony tail, and she hardly moved, resting her weight on one hip. I slowly moved next to her and wrapped my arms around her, kissing the soft skin of her neck before looking over her shoulder at the almost empty room.

"I think this would be a nice room," she said softly. "For our baby." I grinned. "It's far enough away so that when she grows up we won't have to move, her. We'll still be close by. And, it has a view of the sunset. I always thought that was nice to go to sleep to..." I kissed her cheek and she smiled, turning her head to meet my lips.

"We'll have to make it blue, though," I murmured. She scrunched up her face.

"Blue? Why would you want to paint a girls' room blue?" I bit my lip to hold back some of the wide smile.

"Because every young boy should have a blue room, don't you think? We could do green of course, but I don't think it's the same as blue..." Bella rolled her eyes at me, but wrapped her arms and legs around me as I picked her up.

"Excuse me, good sir," she said, adopting that silly accent of mine. "I must apologize, but we are having a young _lady_ in this house." She kissed me strongly and I pivoted, facing us towards another spare room across the hallway.

"We could always have two," I murmured softly, turning my eyes slowly from the room's plain windows to her eyes. She blushed a light pink, and I felt heat in my own cheeks. She giggled and kissed me again.

"That's fine with me."

* * *

**So yay! I'm really sorry again, for my terrible updating. In two weeks, however, I shall be in Italy, heading for France and then for London itself! So, hope to gosh that I can get a chapter out before then!**


	15. Pink and Blue

**Like I promised, here is the chapter that I had finished 10 days ago! :D It's sort of a filler, but we're nearing the end now. It's all happy goodness. Not to mention, I have about five billion stories I can update next, so no complaining! I'm off to feel sick now.

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**

Chapter Fifteen: Pink and Blue

At seven months pregnant it was getting a little hard to get around. My belly, much to Edward's delight, was sticking out large and round in front of me everywhere I went. Alice and Rosalie had bought me _so_ much maternity clothes, it was disgusting. Now, in the middle of June, it was sickeningly hot and I had to resort to light, poofy tanktops and flowing skirts, it was the only thing that could satisfy a pregnant me. I made sure the skirts had elastic waists too. Jeez.

Much to my delight, and Edward's embarrassment, we had discovered that I had been already two months pregnant when I had found out myself. The doctor seemed to think it was a honeymoon baby. I, however, would not stop teasing Edward.

"Do you know what this means?" I asked him slyly as we left the doctors' office. My parents had gone home the week before, and his were waiting to hear the news (they laughed, and rolled their eyes at their son, I'm sure thinking the same thing I was.)

"What does this mean," he said in a near deadpan as he held open the car door for me. I waited for him to get back inside.

"This means that you impregnated me sometime in December," I chuckled. Edward's cheeks were getting redder everytime I spoke to him. "_That_ means that you must have been _very_ happy to see me, since you only moved here _in _December." Edward sighed and shook his head at me, but I could see him laughing. He had to find it at least a little funny. A small smile curled at his lips and I turned with a huge grin to look out the window.

Of course, Edward taught me a lesson when we'd gotten home that time. He'd basically jumped me in the driveway, and I made no move to stop him. Proving his point that I was probably more the nymphomaniac in our relationship.

Back to the present, I had finished sitting with Alice and Rosalie on the beach in front of my house, soaking up the beautiful summer day before we headed to our favourite department store to wait for Jasper to bring the other two boys from work.

"Look at how cute these clothes are!" Alice and Rosalie cooed, holding up 3 month old sleepers. I aww'd with them before turning around to things I was certain of the colours for: bibs, burping pads, receiving blankets, various bath toys, toys in general. I couldn't get over how cute adult things made in miniature were, like socks. that had been by far my favourite thing to buy, socks. We had bought a couple of pretty neutral sleepers, some hats and Alice and Rosalie had been nonstop with the toys.

The baby shower had been only a week ago, and my friends had presented us with a gigantic crib, changing table, cute little dresser, and other decorative things for the baby's room. I'd nearly burst into tears. Edward was mad there was more pink than blue.

"Hello, my lover," he whispered goofily in my ear as he wrapped his arms around me, holding onto my stomach which kicked under his touch. He grinned madly when that happened, he was always so excited, knowing that there was a little person in me. I'd told him it was a bit creepy when he put it that way, and that he wouldn't think that in a couple months. We finished loading some more things into the basket I was carrying, he promptly pulled it from my hands to carry himself.

Alice came running up to me, holding a package of socks, that were just so tiny and cute she couldn't stop squealing. She, was five months pregnant, her stomach already beginning to show off beautifully. Rosalie was the only one off us who looked like she hadn't stuck a balloon up her shirt, but I knew that Emmett had been carrying around an engagement ring for a while. Alice insisted that Jasper buy the socks, and a tiny pair of shoes for her to squeal over for her remaining four months.

Edward and I had been keepin the gender of our baby a secret, wanting to wait until he or she was born to find out. Alice and Jasper hadn't fought about their baby's gender (our reason for secrecy) and knew that they were having a little boy. Her baby shower was next month, the two had already started planning the decor for the room.

When Rosalie had started designing our baby's room she asked what colour. While I blurted a pink, Edward shouted a blue.

"Since you two can't decide what you want to have, and everyone hates those gender neutral colours, I'm afraid I'm going to have to surprise you." I pouted and Edward chuckled at me. "Shut it, Bella," Rosalie shot back when I was about to protest. "If you won't let the doctor tell you what you're going to have, then I'm sorry, I'm going to do what I want." Afterwards, she shut Emmett and herself in the room for a week until it was finished.

And it was beautiful. The walls were white, with a curly, flowery mural spiraling up one wall. It wasn't too feminine, it was truly a work of art. She left the curtains as white lace, and after the baby shower she had arranged everything perfectly. I was stunned when she had gone so far as to install beautiful mahogany laminate flooring, topped with a soft white rug. My mother had sent up her ancient rocking chair which was sitting in the corner with beautiful cushions tied to it.

We paid for our things and each went our separate ways with our significant others.

"Anymore stops for the day?" Edward asked me, loosening the tie around his neck. He then rolled his eyes and turned into the bookstore next door, knowing that it would be my first response.

"See, there's a reason why I love you," I murmured with a grin when he helped me out of the car, then planted a kiss on his lips.

I hobbled ahead of him as fast as I could while he turned off the car. It didn't take long before I heard him behind me, laughing as he tried to catch up. He caught me around my waist and spun me around, kissing me (jfkdj;afsk AMAZING) in front of the door as I groped behind me for the handle. I could not get enough of him. His beautifully green eyes, his tousled hair, his... accent! Edward had been absolutely perfect to me since he'd gotten here, and seeing me carrying his child just made him even happier. Whenever I saw the brilliant smile across his face I couldn't help but grin back.

I made my way towards my favourite section of the store-- Fiction. Edward followed close behind, but his eyes wandered while mine had purpose, to get to those aisles. I stood there, my eyes raking over the titles and authors. the artwork of the covers to look for something of interest. I recognized the emblem of his publishing company and grinned to myself, picking up the book. I turned to the back, the acknowledgements. I let out a small laugh when I saw Emmett's name. Edward walked up behind me and wrapped one arm around me before lifting the book out of my hands and reading it.

"Pick out that one," he said, pointing to another book by his company while he replaced Emmett's on the shelf. I turned to the acknowledgements and laughed again when I saw that the author had thanked him profusely for his work.

"You seem to have a way with the writer ladies," I murmured. Edward smiled crookedly at me and kissed me lightly. While he looked over more book titles, I made my way down the shelves, glancing over them every now and then.

What really caught my eye, was that one corner of the store, painted in bright blues and yellows. I reached a shelf, the one at eye level and pulled out a thickly bound hardcover book. I smiled, glancing around at all the artwork displayed on the large covers. I felt arms wrap around me, hands splayed across the kicking in my stomach and a pair of lips at my ears.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before I found you here," he murmured, kissing my cheek softly. "I was wondering how long it would take you to discover this was here." I laughed and turned to face him, holding onto the covers of the book I opened it. A giant castle popped up from the pages, the intricate designs of the folded papers made my eyes widen and I smiled.

"I was always really impressed with pop up books," I said softly. Edward grinned at me over a pillar and moved my hands to close it. He leaned in and pressed his lips firmly to mine, holding the back of my neck to pull me closer. It was making my heart jump, the way he was kissing me, and how good it felt. My stomach was pressed against him, and as usual whenever he was around, the baby began to kick. As soon as he felt it Edward started to grin against my lips but kept the perfect rhythm. My knees grew weak and I clutched onto him for dear life. Just when it was becoming too much he slowed his pace and let me go, smiling beautifully at me as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"You never cease to amaze me," he mumbled. I cocked an eyebrow.

"With my fascination with children's books?" I asked. He chuckled and shook his head.

"I just think you're amazing all the time. You're going to be a wonderful mother." I blushed. The fact that Edward said that made it sound so much better than when anyone else said it. My mother, my father, Edward's parents. They'd all told me the exact same things. But Edward, the Father of this child, was telling me that I would be wonderful, when I couldn't imagine anyone more perfect to take on the role of a parent.

"I love you," I told him, with all the feeling I had in me. Edward was staring into my eyes as I said it, and I smiled at him. The same expression mirrored on his face as his lips curled up and he pressed them to mine again.

We walked out of there with enough books to fill up the shelf I had been allowed in the baby's room. I was so happy on the way home I couldn't stop rubbing my large belly. Edward sang along with the radio, making my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

I suppose we'll have to start stocking up on nappies and dummies soon," he said as he helped out of the car. I stood up straight and looked at him with I'm sure the most confused expression on my face.

"I'm sorry... what did you say?" Edward looked up at me, the bags in his hands.

"Nappies and dummies, we'll need to get some soon. It won't be long now," he turned up the walkway to our house where a postman was waiting with a large brown parcel at his feet.

"What in the world are nappies and dummies?" I hollered after him. Edward looked at me over his shoulder and then realisation dawned on his face.

"Oh, right you don't call them that. Um... diapers and pacifiers, I suppose," I rolled my eyes. Silly him and his being born across the ocean.

"I hate your language," I told him as I signed the paper shoved in front of me by the post man. Edward passed me a lighter bag and picked up the box, opening the door with his elbow.

"It's the same as yours, dear," he said with a laugh. "This is from your parents."

I giggled and hobbled up to the cupboard as he opened it, revealing an enormous amount of packaging peanuts. Sawyer, being the idiot he is, jumped onto the counter and promptly into the box, lying down and looking up at us with sleepy eyes.

"Get out!" I yelled, poking his side. He twitched. Edward bent down and to my dismay the cat began purring, hopping onto his shoulders. I glared at them before digging through the packaging.

"Aww..." I cooed, holding up a pink sleeper. Edward grimaced and stuck his hand into the box, pulling out a blue sleeper, a puppy stitched into the breast. He grinned and held it in front of him. I rolled my eyes and poked my hand back in.

"You know, if we can't decide on pink or blue we could always go for this," I murmured and pulled out the pale purple sleeper. Edward coughed and turned away from me as I pulled out more yellows and greens. "Purple _is_ what pink and blue would make."

"My son isn't going to wear purple. Not even to bed," he insisted.

"You don't even know if you'll have a son!" I argued. He picked up a letter that was sticking from the packaging and glared playfully at me.

"Your Mum says that we can use at least half of these clothes now, and the rest when we have our second child,because she knows we'll have more." He looked up at me from underneath his lashes and grinned mischeviously. I gulped. Too attractive, he was.

"I think she'd be right in that assumption," I mumbled as Edward pushed down the flaps of the box and leaned in to me.

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**A couple more days and I'll have the next chapter up. I can't decide if I want to make it one chapter or two...**

**go see my new poll!**


	16. Janitor, Please

**Here it is! The one you've been waiting for. I like this one. Probably just because I like Edward. I like his reactions. It's cute. I figured I'd post this now, as my Grandfather is pretty sick, so I'm leaving in a couple of hours to head to his place, which is a hole with no internet. We're going down just incase. ...Incase...in case... I don't know. I'm too sick to focus.**

**In other news, I had apple cinnamon tea for the first time yesterday, and that stuff actually tastes like apples and cinnamon! It's pretty awesome.**

**There is one chapter left folks! And then new stories! Yay! I'm not going to write a sequel. As you can imagine they live happily ever after. There are already SO many baby stories, that half of them are following the kids growing up. So, yeah. I'd rather do something new.**

**Speaking of which. I'm wondering, if I should re-do the poll and post the first chapter of each story, so you have a better idea of what's going on with them all? Maybe, yes? Let me know if you'd like that. Hahaha.**

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**Chapter Fifteen: Janitor, Please.**

I was waiting for it.

Any day now, and there'd be a call. We're at the hospital. My water broke. You stupid git I'm going to kill you if you don't start that car.

Any of it would be good news. In the first week of August I was more than ready for Bella to go into labour. More than ready for our baby to enter the world. More than ready to be a Father.

__

Father.

Whenever I think of the term I immediately think of my own father. Really, he is the only person I can imagine in the role. He did such a spectacular job as my own that I couldn't see anyone else fit for the job, especially not myself. And, in a few days, or weeks, there would be a little person looking up to me. I would be their Dad.

The grin was spread wide across my face before I realised.

And, of course, once I did realise I also noticed that I was standing in the middle of the office, papers and a warm coffee in my hand while I stared off into space, daydreaming of the day I was hoping would come soon.

"Um, Mr. Cullen?" Tanya, my receptionist asked softly. "Are you quite alright, sir?" I jumped and looked down at her, completely confused. Why was she in my fantasy of family life?

"Oh, yes, just fine," I replied, smiling weakly. "Just thinking, is all." Tanya smirked at me.

"Don't worry, sir," she said. "I'm sure it won't be long until you're on your way to the hospital and taking vacation." I grinned. There was a good reason why I hired Tanya. Aside from the fact that Jessica was an idiot and completely incompetant, and that Tanya had been hired so that I could fire Jess, Tanya was a good worker, and proving to be a good friend.

"Hello, _Edward_," Jessica cooed, leaning over her desk and lowering her eyelids at me. I wrinkled my nose and backed away slightly. Tanya rolled her eyes at me and turned back to her computer, adjacent to Ms. Stanley's. When was I going to get the courage to fire the girl?

"Hello, Jessica," I mumbled and walked into my office. I sat down and went hard into work, rescheduling a few meetings and taking calls from Jasper and Mr. Michaels. Emmett had just dropped off a few notes when Tanya buzzed into the room.

"Edward, there's someone here to see you," her voice came out bored through the speaker.

"Send them in," I said, not taking my eye off the sheets I'd been given.

"I said she could, but Jessica is making it physically impossible. Which, probably isn't a good idea as your guest is incredibly pregnant and sporting a rather lovely engagement ring." My mood completely brightened and I practically launched myself across the room, flinging open the door and stepping out to the office.

"Listen you stupid plastic imbecile. I am getting _married_ to the guy, and you are not," Bella shoved her left hand up towards his face. "I am _very_ hormonal and _very_ angry right now and it is _definitely_ a good idea to let me go see Edward." I grinned as I heard Jessica snap her gum and shift her weight, sticking one hip out as she rested her arms akimbo. Tanya snickered and shook her heard, clicking away at the computer.

"Look, ma'am," Jessica began in that annoying voice. I know Bella saw me, but she apparantly was also interested in how to embarrass Jessica. "You think you're the first person to waltz in here and try and make a claim on this guy? I've been trying to get attention from him for months, and believe me, he is not going to be interested in your pregnant ass." Woops. Shouldn't have gone there.

I deftly moved my way around Jessica and smiled brilliantly at Bella as I wrapped my arms around her and bent down, kissing her senseless. As I pulled away I smiled widely at her and she returned the favour, her grin brightening the room. I pushed her bangs away from her eyes and kissed her chastely before turning to face my secretaries.

"Jessica, I'd like you to meet my fiancée, Bella," I said happily. Jessica's smile fell and her face paled as I turned my back to her. "I'm very pleased to see you," I told Bella. "Even if it was out of the blue."

She smiled. "I haven't been here before, and I thought I should come before bringing in a baby some day." We both laughed and her eyes scanned the room. She introduced herself to Tanya as Jessica attempted to look like she was working, sitting down and picking up the telephone.

Bella was looking adorable. She was wearing a blue summer dress that, I'm ashamed to say, drew my eyes to her chest, but floated out from her large belly. She was wearing a beige knit sweater, pushed up to her sleeves and a pair of flat shoes. She held onto my hand and leaned into my shoulder, her ring glittering on her finger.

"Do you want to go out to lunch with me?" she asked quietly, smiling brightly and looking up at me tiredly. "If you're not too busy... or if you had lunch, that's alright. I can go home."

"No!" I exclaimed. "I'd love to go out with you. It'd be like that dating thing that we never did." Bella laughed and stood onto the tips of her toes to kiss me. "I'll just run in my office and get my car keys, alright?" She nodded and held onto her belly. Tanya smiled at her and rolled towards her, looking like she was ready to start a conversation. Jessica grabbed a few papers and got out of her chair. I smiled, walking towards my door and quickly swiping the keys off my desk, pushing down the top to my laptop. As soon as I turned around I heard screams from each one of the women outside, and I grimaced, thinking about what Jessica had done.

"EDWARD!" Bella hollered. I quickly jogged to my door and stepped outside, but what I saw was what I least expected. The front of Bella's dress was wet, and she was grabbing the bottom of her stomach, the fabric bunching in her hand while she braced herself on a desk. Tanya was standing up behind her, a hand to her mouth but smiling, while Jessica looked like she was on a rampage. It was then I noticed the water on the floor and all over Jessica's shoes.

"LOOK WHAT SHE DID!" Jessica yelled, pointing to her feet. "She completely RUINED my shoes, Mr. Cullen, she did this on purpose!" I didn't think it was possible to reach this amount of anger, but I did. I stomped up to my Bella and my stupid Jessica.

"Her water broke, you idiot!" I yelled. "That's amniotic fluid, not water she threw at you, grow up!" And then I acted very immaturely and threw the papers in her hands in her face. "You're fired." I hissed while her face scrunched up and she broke into sobs, stomping down the hallway.

"Yeah, can we get a janitor, please? Twelfth floor. And someone clear the way to the parking lot, please." I looked up at Tanya on the phone, she was smiling widely, clearly amused by what had happened and happy for what was happening.

"Are you alright?" I asked Bella softly, holding onto her tightly.

"Yes, just get me to a hosptial please," she begged as her fingers dug into my arm and she grimaced. The phone next to me had been ringing for some time, irritating me.

"Hello?!" I yelled impatiently.

"Edward!" Rosalie cooed. "You'll never believe it, I'm getting married! Emmett's proposed!"

"Hah, I win, I'm having a baby!" I shot at her before hanging up. "Tanya, when Miss Hale calls back can you please explain where we're going? Thank you." I held onto Bella as we quickly began moving towards the elevator.

"Congratulations!" Tanya yelled.

"Thanks!" we both called back. Bella was breathing the way we'd been taught, and would occasionally freeze when she was having a contraction, I was so excited, I couldn't even speak. Everyone looked at us curiously while I hurried out to the car and pulled it up for Bella to climb in.

I'm pretty sure I drove faster than I ever have before in order to make it, and God must have been smiling down on me-- someone must have been-- as I did not encounter a single officer of the law. Alice and Jasper were waiting for us outside, miraculously enough, holding a wheelchair. Alice held her own belly and bobbed on her feet while Jasper smiled widely the entire time he was helping Bella from the car.

God, the rest is just a whirlwind. Before I knew it she'd changed into a hospital gown and moved to her own room, then moved out of her room and into the delivery room. I was excited, I was afraid. It wouldn't been long, x amount of minutes before I was a real person's father. A Dad. Everything was about to change. Now.

"Edward,"Bella gasped between a contraction. "Please, just stay by my head, okay?" I grinned at her and wiped the hair from her sweaty forehead. I nodded and she grabbed onto my hand again as she held her breath and pushed. It went like that for a few minutes, making more and more progress as we went.

"Just one more, Bella," the doctor told her, only her eyes visible from all the hospital material. Bella started to push, and it was at that moment that my wonderful friend Emmett decided to come inside, only to freeze straight in his tracks, his eyes wide. As you can imagine, he had a different view than I had.

"Oh..." he muttered, taking a huge breath a swallowing, before fainting right in front of me. I laughed, I couldn't help it, and Bella stopped and laughed as well, both of our laughter mixing with a baby's cry. I vaguely caught Jasper dragging Emmett from the room as Bella relaxed into the pillows and I followed the nurses who were cleaning up my child.

"Well you two," Doctor O'Reilly called. "I know you've been fighting about it, but I'm afraid Bella wins. You've got a little girl." I froze. A girl._ My_ little girl. Bella sighed behind me, and I felt my heart swell with such joy when they turned to place the bundle in my arms, a tiny pink cap placed on a little pink face.

My God.

I'm sure I looked like such an idiot. I was smiling wider than I ever had, my cheeks hurt. I rubbed my finger against her tiny cheeks, watching her mouth as she moved her lips around, the tiny motions so sweet for one so small. This was a little person that I would take care of. She'd be my little princess and I'd make sure to be her knight in shining armour. Sure, when it came to showing off your parent's job, she may choose Bella's. I would.But, I would teach her how to play the piano, I'd teach her how to play baseball. I'd teach her how to use proper grammar, and she would be the apple of my eye, she'd brighten up my day. I had the two most beautiful girls in the world, all for myself.

Bella was smiling warmly at me with heavy lids, her hair still plastered over her pillow. I smiled brightly to her, unable to keep the infectious feeling from spreading all over my face. I sat down on the bed next to Bella and carefully passed her the tiny, sleeping baby. Immediately her eyes filled with tears as she looked down at her, pushing the blanket away to look at her face. Bella sniffled a few times, wiping the tears with the back of her hand, and then turned her head up to me. I was still smiling, even when I bent down to kiss her.

"God, I love you," she told me before looking down at our child. "What are we going to name her?"

"Marie," I said without hesitation. I wouldn't admit it, but I had been thinking of what I'd name a little girl. The idea of having a girl to spoil appealed to me. Marie was Bella's middle name, the name of a grandmother she loved so much. She cried even more when I said it.

"Marie Esme," she said finally. I grinned.

"That's a funny name," I teased. Bella rolled her eyes.

"So what, I like your Mom, and you picked out my grandmother's name, which is amazing, and I love you, and I love her. She's so beautiful. Can I marry you now?" Bella asked it so suddenly that it caught me off guard, but I still chuckled like an idiot and kissed her again.

"Yes, very soon, please," I said. The nurse wrote Marie's name on her birth certificate, and another took her to the nursery while they moved Bella to clean her up. I gave my wife another kiss before heading out to the waiting room where I only found Rosalie and Emmett waiting.

"Where are the other two?" I asked them drowsily. They smirked at me. Emmett had ice on his head.

"Alice just went into labour," Rosalie informed me, which caused my jaw to drop and my eyes widen.

"She's premature!" I exclaimed. Rosalie shrugged, but I could see the excitement in her eyes at becoming an aunt.

"The doctor's have assured us she'll be okay, it's only a little over a month premature, anyway. I guess the baby is excited!" she chuckled. "What's the news, anyway? How's our new Daddy?"

"I have a daughter," I told them softly, smiling. "Her name is Marie Esme Cullen, and she's perfect." They led me to where Alice and Jasper were, the sight making me uncomfortable as Alice had several contractions while I gave them the news, which they were ecstatic for, especially at the idea of throwing the wedding soon. It wasn't long after I left that the Hale's were moved to the delivery room.

Bella was asleep, when I got back. She was exhausted, I was sure. They had changed her into her favourite pyjama's, the pink plaid pants and a shirt of mine that she had altered to fit. When I kissed her she woke up, and I passed on Alice's news before demanding that she went back to sleep.

I went for a walk, passing the gift store filled with it's pale pinks and blue's, looking at the blue's as if wondering why I'd wanted a son in the first place, my little girl was wonderful. I found myself walking towards Bella's room, after I don't know how much time had passed. It seemed like it had been forever since we'd gotten here, and that proved to be the point.

Inside the room, Bella was sleeping quietly, and to my delight Alice was fast asleep in the bed next to her. I smiled at my friend, she'd just been through all of this too. I noticed, that a tiny bed was next to Bella's my gorgeous little daughter inside, and in an incubator was Alice's little one, nurses busily looking over all the equipment hanging around him.

"This is amazing," I heard someone whisper next to me, and I turned to find Jasper, his hair completely mussed and his face red from crying. He smiled at me and then motioned towards a nurse placing a small baby into the incubator, near my daughter. "That's my son," he told me. I let out a breath. By far, this was the happiest day of my life. I turned to my friend and smiled, giving him a warm hug.

"Christopher Matthew Hale," Jasper sighed, smiling through the glass.

"That's by far the longest name ever," I said to him jokingly. Jasper rolled his eyes at me but laughed. I knew that the two names were for his and Alice's grandfather's.

As I stood their with one of my best friend's in this world, as we looked at our children, I felt new. I felt different, changed. I was ready for this. I was ready for it all. I was anxious, to hold that baby in my arms again, and to make sure that nothing ever did her wrong.

"Who knows," Jasper said in a light tone. "Maybe those two will end up together one day." He pushed my shoulder lightly, and I lost my balance. I gave him a good glare, crossing my arms.

"Keep your son away from my daughter," I muttered, but we both lost it and grinned.

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	17. Happy Endings

**Okay! This is it- the last chapter. I've had most of the words for this in my head for ages, but it's just taken me so long to get the time to write it. I still don't really have the time, but I really wanted to do this! I also replaced the last chapter, fixing some of the errors I made. I'm all better now! There shouldn't be anymore, I hope!**

**Since I heard no 'No's' I've decided to re-do the poll, and after I get this up, I am posting the first chapters of the other five stories, since I've decided not to do one of them. So, go check out my profile when you've finished reading, and you'll see five new stories! The rules however, are that I will leave the poll up until I post the last chapter of Attraction, and then I shall post whichever story wins!**

**This chapter has an image on the beach that I simply love. And it makes me warm and fuzzy inside. I hope you like it, and yes, I skipped time again like I usually do, oh well. there was nothing to write about in between, trust me, it'd be boring and done over. **

**So! I'd like to thank Lupus, for distracting me, angcull008 for whipping me into shape, and for giving me names when I said 'hey! give me names!' thanks again to Lupus, foreverinlove17, and saranicole for keeping me up to date on all the Twilight movie news, and to Ferrin Landry for giving me advice on one of my new stories, being fun to talk to, and giving me an amazing story to read. Go check out Foundations!**

**Thanks to brunettezki for keeping me insane! :D Ah lurbs yew Katie! go check out her story, The Victim, too!**

**ONWARD!**

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**Chapter Seventeen: Happy Endings.**

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Two Years Later.

How do you describe the happiest moments in life. Which ones are so special, that they are categorised in such a way? 'The Happiest'.

For me, every single day was the happiest of my life.

My beautiful daughter. Marie was so intelligent. At two years old, she was already taking away so much. Sometimes, it barely made sense, but she continued to jabber. She was Daddy's litte girl as my husband liked to point out. Marie loved helping me in the bakery, but the second her father was home she hardly left his side. Edward loved it. He always had the biggest grins on his face, and he absolutely loved it whenever she would bang at the piano.

We were married when Marie was five months old, and looked almost normal again. I wore a simple white dress, embellished slightly across the breasts and torso by lace and embroidery. For our honeymoon, we went back to England, visiting Edward's parents with little Marie for a few weeks, before they took care of her while we flew to Paris for a few nights, so that I could actually get a look at it, unlike the last time I had been there.

Amazing. My life, was simply amazing. Now, two weeks after Marie's second birthday I was seven months pregnant with our second child. Edward didn't know, but I knew that we were having a boy this time around. I wanted to keep it a secret, to see how happy he'd be. Of course, I'd left the subtle hints here and there. The blue and green clothes, blankets, the border around the white room across from Marie's.

And Alice. She and Jasper had had another child. Well, children, I suppose! They'd had twins just last year, two little girls named Amelia and Lacey. I teased Alice that Lacey was because of her passion for fashion, but she only shot me glares. Christopher was absolutely gorgeous. The cutest baby boy I'd ever seen. At least, until I saw what Edward's son would look like. He was tiny, sure, but he was so smart! He was reading, and talking so fast it blew my mind. Of course, he couldn't remember anything, like any kid, but it was still so sweet!

Rosalie and Emmett were married last year. An absolutely beautiful wedding. For me, it was over the top, but that's always been how Rosalie was. They were trying to have a baby now, but I'm pretty sure Rosalie like all the activity she was getting anyway.

Today was an amazing summer day. Jasper was bringing me home after a catering event, and we were both hanging out of the windows, so to speak. My hair was blowing all around me as I squinted against the bright sun, holding onto my large belly underneath the flowing black dress. Jasper looked at me and smile. We'd both stuck pictures of our kids into the rearview mirror of the catering van, every time we saw them they cheered us up that little bit more.

He pulled into the driveway, next to Edward's car and helped me out, like the gentleman he was. I was about ready to cry at how sweet he was, but he shooed me away. He could tell how emotional I was. I laughed as he peeled out of the driveway, sending me a sheepish look, and headed inside.

"Hello?" I called, placing my shawl wrap onto a counter. Tom Sawyer came rushing up to me and I held open my arms as he jumped into them. Where was everyone? I glanced around the house. They weren't in the kitchen, or the living room. "Edward?" I called. I walked down the hallway and checked all the rooms, but they still weren't there.

I went onto the patio, and that's when I saw them. They were sitting on the beach, Marie was running around, while Edward was building a sand castle, still wearing his work clothes, which just looked adorable. She was in a pretty little dummer dress, running away from the waves before she'd fall onto her bum and laugh. Every time she did, Edward would pull her into his lap to make sure she was alright.

I climbed down the spiral stairs onto the beach and made my way towards him. He mostly had his back to me, his legs sticking out in front of him. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, and Marie sat between his legs. She picked up sand in her hands before letting it drop, her brown curls blowing around with the wind. Edward was staring out at the water, smoothing down Marie's hair from time to time. The sun was starting to set, casting everything in oranges and pinks.

The sight was beautiful.

"Hello," I said softly. Edward immediately turned to face me, and the look on his face made my heart skip beats, speed up, my lips pulling into a smile.

"Mommy!" Marie exclaimed, jumping up and running over to me. I smiled and scooped her up, kissing her soft little cheeks as she clutched me around the neck.

"How have you been?!" I asked her excitedly, sitting down next to my husband in the sand.

"We made a castle!" she told me happily, running around to the other side and picking up shells, pressing them into the walls.

"It's a pretty one," I told her. "Did Daddy help you?" She looked up and beamed, nodding furiously. I turned to Edward who was leaning towards me, staring at me. I smiled and he leaned in, giving me an absolutely breathtaking kiss.

"I missed you," he murmured, making me smile. "But, I think it's bedtime for someone," he said a little louder. Marie pouted but reached out her arms for Edward to scoop her up. He held one arm under her bottom and the other hand held onto her back. She rested her cheek on his shoulder and he held out a hand to help me up. I walked with one hand in his back pocket as we slowly moved towards the house.

"Who gets to take the bath tonight?" I ask, referring to Marie's bedtime bath.

"Me," he said simply. "She's Daddy's girl, right baby?" he asked. She giggled and nodded. I frowned, sticking out my bottom lip to her.

"But, what if Mommy wants to get you ready for bed?" I ask. Marie pouts.

"No, Daddy tonight," she whines. We both laugh.

"She likes me better," he teases. I roll my eyes.

"Alright," I say, then point to my large stomach. "But this one's mine." Edward chuckles as he waits for me to start up the stairs before following.

While Edward and Marie take their bath and change into their pyjama's and read their bedtime story, I take the opportunity to change into my own silky pyjama's and grab a bowl of ice cream, sitting on our bed and turning on the television. I can hear them talking in the bathroom, and turn on the baby monitor when they go into Marie's room. It's a guilty pleasure of mine, and I'll never admit it to him, but I love listening to Edward read bedtime stories over the monitor. When I'm with him, I just feel so full and happy in love. He's the best guy in the world, I'm pretty sure. I've even caught him listening to _me_ read bedtime stories.

When the story was over I heard some static and rustling and I knew that Edward was getting up, tucking her into bed. "Say goodnight to Mommy," I heard him say softly. Dang. Caught.

"Goodnight Mommy, I love you," I heard her sleepy little voice say. And, I guess it was the hormones and just how happy I felt but I started to cry. I put my empty bowl on the bed side table and started sobbing, hot tears into my hands.

"Bella?" I heard from the doorway. I peeked through my fingers at Edward, shirt hanging open and looking quite confused. "Are you okay?" I just started crying all over again. He hurried to my side, climbing onto the bed. "Bella are you okay?!" he asked again, pulling my hands from my face and brushing my hair away.

"I'm just so happy!" I sobbed, turning my face into his chest. I felt him shaking, and when I looked up he was laughing full out, trying to be quiet but unable to stop it. "Don't laugh! You have no idea how happy you make me, and I'm so hormonal right now and I'm so in love with you and her, that I just can't stand it..." Edward grinned and pulled my face up to him, planting a kiss on my lips.

"I love you Bella," he whispered as we settled farther into the sheets. "And I'll love you forever."

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Finalement, Thank you to _everyone_ who has reviewed, offered me help, talked to me. You guys are so great. That you for over 1800 reviews, so far. That is absolutely amazing. Thank you for over 500 favourites and over 650 alerts. You're too awesome. Thank you for putting up with how grumpy and moody and late I can be, but i personally think that 17 chapters, an entire story in 4 months is pretty darn good! hahah

**I hope you guys like the new stories I have, I really like them!**


	18. Author's Note

**Hello everyone! This is just a little note for you!**

**For the third time Across the Ocean has been nominated for an award! Several, actually. **

**The first time, in The Denali Coven Awards it won runner up for Most Original Plot. The second time, in the Twilight Awards, it didn't win anything! Poor dear.**

**Since this is my most popular story, and this is now the third time it's been nominated, in the Twilight Awards, I figured it was time to let you guys know.**

**There's a link to a journal I wrote about this on my profile, and there's also a link to the Twilight Awards. I'm leaving tomorrow morning to go back to university, and then I should be getting my laptop fixed soon after that, so I can actually be more active again! Wish me luck. I just wanted to let you all know while I could that this was happening.**

**So, if you still really like this story and would like to see it get some recognition, like I would, go on over when the time comes and vote for it. It's nominated for: Most Original Plot, Best T Rated Story, Best Edward/Bella and Best Alternate Universe.**

**So If you think it deserves any of those titles, go show your support! It's nominated against a bunch of really great fics, so good luck to us! Props to everyone else who was nominated!**

**Thank you, guys, if you do choose to vote for me :D!**

**Maybe I'll... go back and edit like I've always planned to? ;D hahaha.**

**EDIT:**

**Nevermind, The Twilight Awards are closed now, due to several factors. Continue to the next note!  
**


	19. Second Author's Note

**Hello everyone! This is my last Author's note, I swear.**

**Since the Twilight awards are canceled, you can sort of ignore my last note. **

**However! There is a new Award site kicking around there, The Twilight Twins Awards. I'll link in my profile. I was notified a couple of days ago that Across the Ocean has been nominated for Most Original Plot on that site. It'd really mean a lot to me if you guys popped over to vote, between July 1st and 20th.**

**Also, as a sort of reward for your guys' undending support for this story, I decided that I would like to write an outtake for you. It's up to you what you'd like to see, though. What I'd like you to do is leave in a review or pm about an idea for an outtake you'd like to see, Christopher and Marie has been a popular one I've heard. But, if you want to see something else, tell me! It can be any missing scene, or a chapter in another character's point of view I'll take the most common or creative ideas and put them in a poll, then the winning option will be written in the outtake!**

**So, I'll give you guys until July 1st to give me your ideas. Then, I will put up a poll asap, and when the awards are over, I will write the outtake and post it!**

**Thanks a lot for your support, and I hope you guys are as excited as me!**

**EDIT: The Poll is now up, with only four options, I hope you guys all decide to vote!  
**


	20. Blush

**Sorry so much for the delay, I know this is months late! I've been in a mood to go back to my creative roots lately, so here it finally is! This was written on time, I just never ever got to type it up!**

**I've started my second year of university, and the workload is a lot more than the first. I'm still hoping to update often, but for now, I'd like to do well in school too!**

**Thank you guys so much for your support for Across the Ocean these past two years! Across the Ocean has been nominated so many times, but thanks to you guys it _won_ Most Original Storyline at the Twilight Twins Awards. It also won runner up for Best Edward and Bella on the TCFanfic Awards.**

**So, as promised, here is our little look into Christopher and Marie's future.**

**

* * *

Outtake: Blush  
**

"Daddy!" my little girl's voice cried out as she flung herself into my arms. I scooped her up onto my hip and kissed her soft baby cheeks.

"Hello sweetheart, how were you today?" I asked her, walking up the steps to see my beautiful wife standing in the doorway, our young son on her hip sucking on his thumb.

"Really great! We got to paint today with our fingers!" she exclaimed, wiggling them in front of me.

"Then how did you get it in your hair?" I set her down and rubbed at the blue stuck to her hairline.

"That mean Jacob got paint on me," she huffed. "Nessie threw paint at him, though." She grinned widely and I smiled, looking up at Bella.

"Ah, kindergarten." She leaned in and gave me a sweet kiss, one I'd been looking forward to since leaving for work.

"Hello, dear," I grinned when she pulled away.

"Your son has missed you," she said with a small smile, angling Charlie toward me. The corners of his lips lit up in a smile from behind his soother and he reached out his little arms to me.

I scooped him up and blew raspberries all over his cheek making him and Bella laugh.

"Come on," she said, patting my backside. "We haven't got much more time before they all get here." I put Charlie down in front of all his toys and followed Bella into our room. The smells from the kitchen were divine and from the quick look I'd taken she'd outdone herself again on Emmett's birthday cake.

"I missed you," I murmured into Bella's ear, earning a smile from her as she turned to kiss me again.

"I missed you, too, but we have to get ready now," she said quietly, trying to push me away. I pouted at her but acquiesced, watching with rapt attention as she slipped off her apron and jeans and pulled on a beautiful blue dress.

"Get changed!" she laughed when she caught me staring.

After I'd pulled on the dress clothes laid out for me, Marie danced into the room wearing a cute dress, blue hair still intact.

"You look very pretty, angel," I told her, picking her up. She chatted away as we walked into the kitchen where Charlie sat quietly on the countertop, watching Bella decorate the cake.

"She wouldn't sit still long enough for a bath," Bella told me when I tried taking off the better part of the blue paint with a paper towel.

"You, missy, are getting in the bath promptly after the party." Bella was a little flustered when our daughter agreed so easily. The doorbell rang and Marie ran to answer it while I struggled to my feet to chase after her.

"Hi Christopher!" She yelled when she threw open the door. Alice and Jasper stood behind Christopher and his twin sisters, smiling at my daughter. I spotted a very pregnant Rosalie standing behind them and after the kids ran inside I reached out to help her in.

"Bella's in the kitchen finishing the cake," I instructed Alice and Jasper.

"She better have something for me to sit on," Rosalie grumbled. "And something for me to eat, _now._" She shook me off and waddled into the kitchen while Jasper lightly pushed his son into the living room with the other kids. The boy was so shy sometimes it was nearly sad.

"What is wrong with your hair?" I asked, leaning down to get a better look at the green in his hair. Chris blushed and looked down, kicking his feet.

"Christopher helped Nessie get Jacob," Marie whispered, hiding behind my leg. "Nessie missed and hit him instead." Jasper and I just laughed and shook our heads, shooing the kids to play with their siblings.

It was then I noticed how much the kids looked like their parents. Marie was the spitting image of Bella- which made me unbelievably happy, and lucky, to have two beautiful girls. Charlie, however, had inherited my thick, unruly shock of reddish brown hair. His eyes were bright greens and alight with curiosity. His lips, however, were his mothers. Plumped and pouty and Bella swore high and low he'd be a heartbreaker someday.

We weren't sure if his size would be hindered by his prematurity, or if he was just going to be lean like his father, but Christopher was a healthy boy, even if a bit on the skinny side. He looked just like his father, right down to the curly blonde hair. The twins both had long, curly black hair which Alice refused to cut short like her own. Lacey was loud and vibrant like her mother, while Amelia took after her father and brother in her quietness.

"Bella, I apologise in advance if my water breaks and ruins any furniture," Rosalie sighed, lowering herself into a chair, happily taking a cupcake passed to her.

"So, Christopher was two months early, now this guy is going to be two weeks late?" Bella laughed, placing a hand on Rosalie's belly. "Our kids are troublemakers." Rosalie smiled between the cupcake and Alice and Bella laughed.

"We bought a plot of land," Jasper said, standing next to me and watching the kids.

"Yeah? You're going to build on it?" He nodded.

"It was a bit late going through, but with the bakery closing while Rosalie's on maternity, I thought I'd get the building done. Alice can decorate when we move in."

"Where is it?" I asked, watching Marie hand a disgusted looking Christopher a doll.

"Next door." My head shot to look at him in surprise.

"Are you joking?" Jasper laughed and shook his head. "That's wonderful!"

"It'll be nice having the kids grow up together," he said with a smile.

"Hello?" a loud voice rumbled from the entrance. "Edward? You guys home? You better still need my help. As much as I don't want you and Bella to crush under serving trays, I really want to go home before my wife pops out a child."

"Surprise!" Marie shouted, jumping from the living room in excitement. Emmett looked at her utterly confused until the rest of us yelled out 'surprise!' and Bella pulled out the cake, candles lit already.

It took a moment to clarify that we did not, in fact, need his help with catering trays, but that it was his birthday party.

That night was the first night I noticed how Christopher acted differently around Marie. He gave her his second piece of cake, he let her play dolls with him, and when she fell and hit her knee he rubbed her back until she stopped crying.

It was the first time I noticed it, but it definitely wasn't the last.

* * *

Marie was beautiful like her mother, but also inherited her clumsiness and poor immune system. When she was fifteen she broke her arm after falling out of a tree in the front yard that we all loved sitting in.

She had gotten the flu that day and stayed home from school while I'd been at work and Bella was at a catering event. Her ears and nose were plugged, her head and throat hurt and she just felt genuinely miserable. The fact that her ears were bad was a contributing factor to her fall, but she thought fresh air would be good so she went out and got in the tree to read.

We were lucky that Christopher had decided to skip off school to bring her chicken soup and found her. I rushed home to help and I'd never been more thankful that my family was surrounded by such good friends.

When she was seventeen Marie learnt how to drive. She and Christopher got their licenses the same day.

When she was eighteen Marie crashed her car into a guard rail after her breaks gave out. Rosalie, Emmett and I all looked at the car and determined that she had done nothing wrong and had crashed to keep an even bigger accident from happening.

Marie was fine after the crash, mainly due to Christopher, who'd driven by shortly afterwards and helped her out of the car. He stayed by her side for days, making sure she was okay and doing errands for her.

I never understood why he never asked her on a date. Every time they spoke about dating and things like that, his ears grew red in a blush that could rival Bella's.

They went to prom together because Jacob from the kindergarten finger painting incident professed his undying love for Nessie and they ditched their original dates (Marie and Christopher).

When Chris showed up with Alice and Jasper to pick up Marie, I had to admit he looked pretty good. He'd joined the football team, so while he built muscle, he kept himself lean, just like his father. Marie came downstairs with her mother in an off white, delicate looking prom dress. Christopher's face lit up when he saw her in a way that reminded me of how Jasper's changed when he saw Alice, probably how mine looked when I saw Bella.

"You look beautiful," he whispered to her, blushing as she smiled at him. They gave each other flowers and he held her arm strongly as we climbed down the stairs to the beach.

Emmett and Rosalie were waiting to take pictures for us, their three kids kicking a football up and down the sand. Charlie whined about wanting to join them and I squeezed his shoulder, telling him to wait for just a little while longer.

Rosalie wielded the camera since Emmett was positively clueless with things that weren't cars or sentence structure. Charlie, Bella, Marie and I all posed in front of the setting sun before we came up with all sorts of combinations that were repeated on Alice, Jasper, Christopher and the twins.

Jasper grinned at me as we watched our oldest kids stand together looking, I have to admit, quite the pair.

Marie's eyes were bright and alive as she smiled to the camera, excited for Prom and everything that went with it.

Christopher's eyes hardly ever left her face.

They left for prom, Christopher driving since Marie still seemed shaky behind the wheel.

I thought to myself, this is it. They'll come home and Christopher will have told her how he feels and she'll have his complete adoration.

Marie walked into the house late that night, after whatever party she'd gone to, gushing about some girl's brother she'd met and how great he was.

She spent that summer working in the bakery and going on dates that weren't with the young Mr. Hale. Christopher worked with a local newspaper, and in the fall they both left for university.

Marie went to England.

She stayed with my parents on weekends while she studied for a degree in English. She took her holidays at my parents and called every week about all the things she'd seen and done. Bella and I were proud for her, but we missed her a great deal, too.

While Alice and Bella began outwardly plotting ways for Christopher and Marie to get together, I learned from Jasper as we helped Emmett build his house next door that Marie had called Christopher nearly every night since she'd been gone.

My hopes were up for the boy.

Christopher finished his first year with a 4.0. Marie did just as well, but seemed to have lost her passion. When Bella and I heard her considering culinary school like her mother had done, we'd started hoping she'd come home.

When Charlie's birthday came around our three families congregated at the beach. Most of the kids were playing volleyball while the six of us grownups sat around drinking and remembering our youth.

"We sound ridiculous," Bella laughed after Rosalie shared one of Emmett's more charming (stupid) moments on one of their dates in London.

I pulled Bella close to me and kissed her forehead. She smiled up at me and traced my lips with her fingers.

"I'm going to go get Charlie's cake," she announced, pecking me on the lips before hopping out of my lap.

"Can I get you guys anything?" Chris asked, addressing the group of us. "I was going to walk up to the house now." Before any of us could speak he froze, his eyes widening and his mouth slackened.

"Hey!" I heard a faint voice call. We all turned and there was my daughter, running across the beach, her entire arm waving to us.

Chris took off with sand kicking behind him. I was vaguely aware of my parents and Bella walking across the beach, far behind Marie.

"You know how on the day they were born you told me to keep Chris away from Marie?" Jasper asked, standing up next to me to watch them running. I nodded. "I don't think he's going to listen right now."

"About time," I said with a grin.

Christopher grabbed Marie by the waist and spun her around in a hug, their laughter echoing across the beach. They fell down onto the sand, still laughing as I walked past to help Bella and greet my parents.

What surprised all of us was when Chris cupped Marie's face in his hands and kissed her, surprising us even more was the fact that Marie complied, wrapping her arms around his neck.

When they separated they seemed to have forgotten where they were, or didn't think they were in hearing distance.

"I missed you," they told each other.

"I love you, Marie," Chris told her seriously. "I've been in love with you since we were five years old. It's driven me crazy for years, but I can't let you leave again without telling you. We were each others' first everything, you're my best friend, and I love you."

"Chris," Marie breathed out, a stunning smile crossing her features. "I've always cared about you, but I didn't know what to do. You've always been my best friend." Chris leaned in and kissed her again and we left them alone. Lord knows they'd wasted enough time.

With a gathering of three families, a total of fifteen people in all, I couldn't help but stare out at the ocean and think that we were so close to never having this at all. The bottle Bella had set sail and i had found was standing proudly in the middle of our mantle. Our wedding photos and family pictures were to either side.

Had it not been for that ocean that carried her bottle, our two children wouldn't be her. I most likely would have never met her, and Rose and Emmett's family never would have started.

Christopher would have never known a Marie, never fallen in love at five, and never would have suffered as he had when Marie had left. That ocean had separated them, prolonging what was meant to be. Until that moment I hadn't truly fathomed just how powerful those rolling waves were.

I stood there with my wife and kids, our eleven other family members and smiled. I looked at Christopher and Marie leaning against each others' shoulders with their toes dipped in the water. I looked at my son and his friends, laughing and running and eating cake.

I looked at Bella, who I couldn't love anymore than I had since I met her. I kissed her with smiles on our lips, realising that this was how it was meant to be.

* * *

**There we go. Sorry again for the delay! This is the end now, for good. **

**I know there will be people who will want me to continue a story about these two, but then that's not Twilight fanfiction. And, honestly, I finished this story a long time ago, I feel like you can all believe what you want to :)**

**Thanks for your unending support, it really means so much to me! **

**If you liked Across the Ocean, and you're looking for something similar, I am posting a new story shortly, called Kismet. It's similar to this one, but I'm hoping I'll stay true to my romantic nonsensicalness!  
**


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